A leadership crisis has erupted within the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), with members of its Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) branch accusing national leaders of undemocratic practices and constitutional violations.
In a petition submitted to the registrar of trade unions at the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the branch singled out PENGASSAN national president Festus Osifo, who also serves as president of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, and general secretary Lumumba Okugbawa.
The petitioners, numbering over 523 and representing more than two-thirds of the NMDPRA branch, alleged that the duo interfered in branch electoral processes and undermined internal governance.
The petition highlighted repeated attempts to engage the national leadership on issues affecting the branch’s administration, all of which were met with “utter disregard and non-responsiveness.”
The members accused Osifo and Okugbawa of imposing a caretaker committee on the branch without proper elections, describing the move as an abuse of office and a violation of PENGASSAN’s constitution, particularly provisions on branch rights and democratic engagement.
The aggrieved members have called for federal government intervention. In August, the Ministry of Labour and Employment urged the branch to suspend its planned election to allow for mediation.
However, the petitioners claimed the national leadership proceeded to inaugurate the caretaker committee, further escalating the dispute with what they called “continued non-compliance and unconstitutional acts.”
The controversy, according to reports on Sunday, shows growing tensions within PENGASSAN, as the NMDPRA branch demands accountability and adherence to the union’s constitutional framework.
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