Former national chairmen of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) have dispelled rumours that the PTD was planning to break away from its umbrella union.
They made the clarification on Friday when they paid a solidarity visit to the incumbent national chairman, Comrade Augustine Egbon, at the PTD- NUPENG, national secretriat in Abuja.
Comrade Egbon and other new national officers had emerged at the special delegates conference for the PTD branch of NUPENG held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital last October.
The fresh election was sequel to the judgement of Justice Bashar Alkali of the National lndustrial Court of Nigeria in the Yenagoa Judicial Division, Bayelsa State, which nullified the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG election held on June 30, 2O22 in Ibadan.
Affirming the support of the former national chairmen, Comrade John Ossai noted that NUPENG would continue to play its leadership position in the affairs of the PTD Branch.
He also appealed to unit chairmen to continue to cooperate with the national leadership under Comrade Egbon.
Ossai stated: “We are proud of the election that our mother union, NUPENG handled, which produced the new leadership. We have to pay a courtesy call on our new national chairman.
I want to use this opportunity to call on all the branch unit of PTD nationwide to pledge their loyalty to the new leadership. The fight by those calling themselves faction is uncalled for and driven by self interest. We won’t accept it. NUPENG and PTD is one.
“Today, the Union is more refined. The PTD won’t break away from NUPENG for any reason. I am appealing to all the members to be law abiding and be loyal to their national chairman and NUPENG. That’s the flag we have been flying.”
On his part, Comrade Tijani Zubair described the new national chairman as a bridge builder and peace maker whose leadership would address the demands of the Union for better welfare for tanker drivers and good roads for haulage of petroleum products.
