Tanker drivers from various regions across the nation have expressed strong support for the Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), while simultaneously rejecting statements made by an anonymous group calling itself the PTD Elders Forum.
These drivers emphasized that this so-called Elders Forum is not recognized under the official PTD bylaws or the NUPENG Constitution and accused the group of spreading misinformation to the public.
Previously, NUPENG’s president, Comrade Williams Akporeha, and general secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, issued a warning to the public and law enforcement agencies. They revealed that the PTD Elders Forum consists of infiltrators aiming to create division within the legitimate leadership of the Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG.
Furthermore, the union leaders confirmed that Comrade Augustine Egbon was legitimately elected as the national chairman of PTD-NUPENG during the Branch Delegates Conference held in Lagos on July 3, 2024.
During a press conference in Lagos, tanker drivers representing Kaduna, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Warri zones categorically rejected the PTD Elders Forum, labeling its members as impostors pretending to be tanker drivers.
Comrade Bashir Izalan from the Kaduna zone expressed his astonishment at the existence of a faceless group claiming affiliation with PTD-NUPENG, stating, “There is no such entity as PTD Elders within our union’s structure. We have no connection with them whatsoever.”
He added, “Our ptd-elders/” title=”Oil Union Sounds the Alarm on Infiltrators and Cuts Ties with "…”>recognized national chairman is Comrade Egbon. His administration is open and inclusive, making us feel secure and valued. Wherever we travel in the country, we are welcomed. Additionally, we benefit from health insurance and access to medical facilities when needed.”
Representing tanker drivers in Lagos, Comrade Itanola Abiodun urged security agencies to identify and prosecute these fraudulent individuals, emphasizing that they have no legitimate ties to the union.
