By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has condemned Senator Adams Oshiomhole, describing him as an “enemy of Nigerian workers” following his recent criticism of the oil workers’ strike over the alleged dismissal of 800 engineers at Dangote Refinery.
In a joint statement issued on Monday by its National President, Comrade Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG said Oshiomhole’s remarks were a “reprehensible assault on the fundamental rights of Nigerian workers” and a “gross distortion of established labour laws.”
The union expressed disappointment that Oshiomhole, a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), had now become “a vocal advocate for corporate oppression,” opposing the very rights he once defended.
“It is disheartening to witness a former labour leader now campaigning against the rights of workers,” the statement read. “His attempts to justify the victimization of employees for exercising their rights to association and peaceful protest are nauseating and represent a flagrant misrepresentation of Nigerian labour law and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.”
NUPENG reaffirmed its support for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), stating that the solidarity action with the sacked refinery workers was legal under Section 31 of the Trade Unions Act.
The union emphasized that “an injury to one is an injury to all” remains a guiding principle of trade unionism and criticized those seeking to undermine it.
Citing provisions of the 1999 Constitution and relevant labour laws, NUPENG reiterated that every individual — citizen or foreigner — has the right to freedom of association and that no employer has the authority to prevent employees from unionizing.
The union also announced plans to boycott any public event featuring Senator Oshiomhole, saying the move underscores its collective disapproval of his stance.
Section 9(6) of the Labour Act, the union noted, prohibits any employment contract that excludes a worker from union membership, while ILO Conventions 87 and 98, ratified by Nigeria, protect workers’ rights to form and join unions without interference.
