Amanze ChinonyeA deepening crisis has engulfed the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), following a vote of no confidence passed by the union’s Port Harcourt Zone against the national President, Comrade (Prince) Williams Akporeha, and the General Secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale.
The decision, made during an emergency meeting held by zonal executives on Friday, 25 July comes barely 24 hours after a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union chaired by Akporeha in Port Harcourt.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn a statement released after the meeting, the Port Harcourt zonal leaders accused the national leadership of the union of “abuse of office, ethnic cleansing, constitutional violations, threats to life, and manipulation.”
The leaders also called for the immediate appointment of a national administrator by the Registrar of Trade Unions to oversee NUPENG’s affairs pending a new national election expected in 2026.
The zonal council stated that it had alerted law enforcement agencies, including the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS), to hold the national president and general secretary responsible should any harm befall any of the zonal executives or the union’s National Treasurer, Comrade Alex Agwanwor.
“Any attempt to intimidate or suspend him without following the constitutional process will be resisted,” the statement read, reaffirming confidence in Agwanwor’s continued role as National Treasurer.
The Port Harcourt Zone also dismissed the suspension of some of its members, including Agwanwor and Comrade Mina Samuel, as “unconstitutional,” claiming that such actions lacked the approval of the union’s broader membership base as required by NUPENG’s 2021 amended constitution.
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Furthermore, the zonal council suspended Comrades Kingsley Ezenwa, Bestman Ikechukwu Friday, and Alexander Stephen Akande for alleged anti-union activities and violations of NUPENG’s constitution. The zone urged oil and gas stakeholders within its jurisdiction to cease all official dealings with these individuals.
The council accused the national leadership of engineering a campaign to sideline Rivers State indigenes, who reportedly make up a significant portion of NUPENG’s Port Harcourt Zone membership.
“The zone is saying no to continued oppression and constitutional breaches,” the statement declared. “We will not allow a few individuals to destroy the integrity of the union.”
Citing Rule 31 of the NUPENG constitution, the zone argued that it had met the requirements to reject the national leadership’s decisions, claiming that constitutional procedures were not followed in the suspension and alleged dissolution of zonal executives.
In addition, the Port Harcourt Zonal Council called on the Registrar of Trade Unions and the Federal Ministry of Labour to conduct a fresh zonal council election and to install interim leadership at the national level to restore stability and constitutional order within NUPENG.
As tensions rise, the zonal leaders have asked security agencies to monitor the situation closely, alleging that both Akporeha and Olawale had made threats against their members.
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