Oil Workers’ Union Condemns Oshiomhole’s Criticism of Recent Strike Action
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has launched a scathing rebuke against Senator Adams Oshiomhole over his recent comments on the PENGASSAN strike, labeling the former labor leader as “the Judas Iscariot of Nigerian trade unionism.”
In a joint statement issued Monday by NUPENG President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale, the union expressed strong disapproval of Oshiomhole’s stance on the industrial action taken in response to the dismissal of 800 indigenous workers at the Dangote Refinery.
Oshiomhole, who represented Edo North Senatorial District and previously served as Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) president from 1999 to 2007, had criticized the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) during an October 3 interview with ARISE News. He argued that while unions have a “God-given right” to protest, escalating the dispute to a nationwide strike could jeopardize other workers’ livelihoods.
“What I’m not sure is right is the ease with which PENGASSAN resorted to escalating the matter to a secondary level, what you call the secondary solidarity, to a point of shutting down the oil sector,” Oshiomhole stated during the interview. He emphasized that protecting one group of workers shouldn’t risk others’ employment.
NUPENG strongly defended the legality of the solidarity strike, citing Section 31 of the Trade Union Act, which permits sympathetic industrial actions. The union accused Oshiomhole of misrepresenting Nigerian Labour Law and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions, suggesting he had aligned himself with capitalist interests.
The statement also questioned Oshiomhole’s credibility, referencing his political career and alleging that he had maintained dual union positions by falsely claiming to have resigned as general secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria while serving as NLC president.
The confrontation highlights the ongoing tension between labor rights advocacy and economic considerations in Nigeria’s petroleum sector, with both sides claiming to protect workers’ interests through different approaches.
