The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has invited the Department of State Services (DSS) to monitor its forthcoming national delegates conference billed for July 3, 2024.
In a statement by a member of PTD, Mrs Blessing Dafinone, she said: “NUPENG owes all its branches including PTD the duty of conducting a hitch-free election, and therefore, if anything goes wrong, be it violence orchestrated by the thugs, or low voters’ turn out, it will amount to leadership failure on their part which will be unacceptable. While I do not dispute the fact that much depends on the electoral umpire to deliver a free, fair and credible election, I do not subscribe to the notion that, voters must be intimidated, victimized, harassed or coerced on who to vote for on the day of election.
“That is why I also agree that the Ministry of Labour and Department of State Services (DSS) should both serve as umpire and returning officers on the day of the election.
“To put things in their proper perspectives; a free, fair and credible election is the one in which the electorates are free to make their choices through the ballot without fear, inducement, threat, or intimidation from anyone. While a fair election is one in which, all contestants are given a level playing field to compete without anyone enjoying any undue advantage over the other(s). And a credible election is the one which process is steep in transparency.”
She also called for an open secret ballot system to be used during the forthcoming national delegates conference of the union, noting that some of the delegates were already facing threats to compel them to comply or exit from the union by some powers-that-be in the union.
According to her, “For this PTD election to be free, fair, credible, transparent and acceptable, it’s conduct must be done with the use of an open secret ballot, which every delegate will write their choice on a piece of paper so that no one else knows how they have voted. As we speak, there are complaints of intimidation and victimization of delegates and the only way to curb that will be through open secret ballot, without fear or favor. They should please not send us back to the trenches.”
She lamented that a union, which had times without number accused management of different oil and gas companies in the country of stopping their members from being willfully unionized, was the same union that is foisting on its members choices against their wishes.
“They are also building forces to support some particular candidates and threatening delegates to comply or face forceful exit from the union and this is not only unacceptable but criminal in nature.”
She stated that if PTD and NUPENG as a whole wanted to stop electoral vices, and ensure a free, fair, and credible election at all times, the union leaders must look beyond biases and sentiments and allow the people’s choice to triumph.
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