The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has denied misleading reports making the rounds that the AIG Zone 6 in a recent meeting with Cross River State Chapter of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association Of Nigeria (IPMAN) and PTD Zonal officers opposed the operations of the Association of Distributors and Transportation of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) in Calabar.
This reaction was contained in a statement on Thursday by an elder in PTD Port Harcourt Zone, Comrade Amos Ikechuckwu.
Comrade Ikechuckwu stressed that there was no such meeting held in Calabar, whereby Police authorities claimed not to know ADITOP too well. He added that no such instruction was given by the AIG Zone 6 Calabar, to ask ADITOP to stay clear from depots in Cross River State.
“It is a big shame that some group of demented individuals will concoct a blatant lie from the pit of hell against such a highly placed Police officer in the person of the AIG, with the intention to misinform the public in order to suit their own jaundiced and thoughtless narratives.
“The innocuous meeting which was held in Calabar on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 was a total nullity, because no member of PTD faction One, led by Comrade (Dr) Humble Obinna Power was informed or notified about that meeting. This further amounts to a breach of the peace treaty duly signed by the two factions of PTD in the presence of the representatives of the AIG, Director of DSS Cross River State, Commandant of the NSCDC Cross River State, and the DPR team from Abuja as anchored by the Cross River State Government on the 22nd of November 2024. Rather than complying with the valid peace treaty as agreed for peace and harmony to reign, Obi’s illegal IPMAN and Otunba’s led faction of PTD are busy spreading falsehoods and deception all over the place. What a shame!
“The AIG was mad at the spurious claims by these lawless and misguided people whose aim was to create confusion and cause chaos. The truth remains unequivocally clear that no member of PTD faction led by Comrade Humble Obinna Power in Calabar participated in the meeting. Moreover, Chief Obi who was referred to in the meeting with the Police as IPMAN Chairman, is not the authentic or legitimate IPMAN Chairman in Cross River State, Mr. Peter Abang is the constitutionally accepted and government recognised IPMAN Chairman in Cross River State and the records are there to prove that point.
“Similarly, ACP Emeka of the X SQUAD anchored the meeting on behalf of the AIG not the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO) as they erroneously claimed. Never did the AIG state any of the points they highlighted in the summary of their publication which suggested that ADITOP should stay clear from depots in Calabar pending the results of their investigations amongst other lies, criminal deception, and insincerity which they irresponsibly peddled and disseminated.
“The truth remains constant that there is freedom of association under our laws in Nigeria and that reality cannot be controveted under any guise. Members of PTD knows who to follow and they will never be harassed, intimated or victimized under any guise by any unscrupulous element and ultimately the law is there to protect and uphold their interests not minding whose ox is gored.
“I must also add that the PTD under the leadership of Comrade Lucky Osesua, IPMAN under the legitimate leadership of Mr. Peter Abang, and ADITOP will firmly refuse to be complicit in the activities of any association or Union that ignores the pressing issues plaguing the Petroleum industry even as they remain resolute in their resolve to reclaim their rights to manage members’ welfare and livelihoods in a most decent manner and in tandem with extant rules.
“These gentlemen are also deepening their collaboration with the Federal Government and other responsible Unions as well as key stakeholders in the Oil and Gas sector to reform the petroleum industry and foster a business-friendly environment that prioritizes the needs of consumers and support fair practices and always combat the negative implications of unscrupulous activities within the Oil and Gas sector that adversely affect the Nigerian populace,” Comrade Ikechuckwu stated.