PENGASSAN members accuse national president Osifo of undemocratic conduct, petition labour ministry
Some members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have accused the union’s national president, Festus Osifo, of undemocratic conduct and constitutional violations.
In a petition addressed to the Registrar of Trade Unions at the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the members also raised concerns about the conduct of Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN’s general secretary.
The petitioners, who described themselves as “concerned members” of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) branch of PENGASSAN, said their complaints stemmed from what they called “unresolved and persistent violations” by the national leadership.
“As a branch under the PENGASSAN structure, we have made several efforts to engage the national leadership constructively on matters affecting our members and the proper administration of our branch in line with the constitution of our union,” the petition reads.
According to them, all previous efforts to get the attention of the national executives have been ignored.
“Numerous letters and correspondences have been met with utter disregard and non-responsiveness.
“The continuous actions and inactions of the national leadership amount to an abuse of office and a gross violation of the provisions of the PENGASSAN constitution, especially as it pertains to the rights of branches, democratic engagement, and internal dispute resolution.”
The group, made up of over 523 members, representing more than two-thirds of the NMDPRA branch urged the federal government to intervene, saying the union’s internal democracy and due process are under threat.
The petitioners accused the PENGASSAN leadership of interfering in the electoral process of the NMDPRA chapter by imposing a caretaker committee (CTC) without conducting proper elections.
The Cable reported that on June 27, the national leadership wrote to the branch, informing it of the constitution of a CTC to “run the affairs of the branch.”
The NMDPRA branch, however, rejected the decision, describing it as “entirely wrong,” “unacceptable,” and “unconstitutional.”
Following what they termed the “non-responsiveness” of the central working committee (CWC), the branch members said they resolved to conduct their own election, in line with the collective decision of the branch.
Unable to get a response from the CWC, the branch said it escalated the matter to the Minister of Labour and Employment, seeking intervention.
“The Honourable Minister, in his unprecedented wisdom and out of respect for the struggles of branch members, responded to the request via a letter dated August 15, 2025.
“He implored the branch members to maintain calm and pause the conduct of the proposed election while engaging all parties concerned to reach an amicable settlement,” the petition stated.
However, the members alleged that despite the minister’s appeal, the CWC “almost immediately inaugurated the caretaker committee,” a move they described as “continued non-compliance and unconstitutional acts.”
The petitioners insisted that the decision undermines internal democracy within the union and called on the labour ministry to act swiftly to protect the integrity of trade unionism in Nigeria.
