By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
The President of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, on Wednesday, narrated before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, at Maitama, how he was almost lynched by thugs that were led by 20 tanker drivers.
Akporeha, who made the revelation while testifying before Justice Yusuf Halilu, said he was rescued by a team of security operatives that was led by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Utako, after his hotel room was invaded by his assailants.
According to him, the tanker drivers and thugs, armed with weapons and galloons of petrol, stormed the hotel where he lodged with other NUPENG members, following a dispute that trailed an election that was held by the union.
He testified at the resumed trial of the accused drivers who were identified as former leaders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, branch of the NUPENG.
The defendants are answering to a five-count charge bordering on attempted murder, breach of peace and assault.
The charge, marked: FCT/HC/CR/042/2023, was brought before the court by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
Specifically, the defendants were alleged to have attacked NUPENG President, Akporeha; the Union’s Secretary-General, Olawale Afolabi and the new PTD National Chairman, Augustine Egbon, thus acting in a manner likely to cause their death.
Those on trial for the alleged crime included a one-time PTD National Chairman, Lucky Osesua; Dayyabu Garga; Humble Obinna; Akinolu Olabisi; Godwin Nwaka; Tiamiu Sikiru; Abdulmimin Shaibu; and John Amajuoyi.
As well as: Zaira Aregbo; Patrick Erhivwor; Stephen Ogheneruemu; Gift Ukponku, and Sunday Ezeocha.
All the defendants had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge against them.
At the resumed proceedings in the matter on Wednesday, Akporeha, while being cross-examined by counsel to the defendants, Mr. Christopher Oshomegie, SAN, told the court that on the day they were attacked, he saw the former PTD National Chairman, Osesua, and the other defendants at the hotel premises.
He told the court that the defendants, upon sighting his vehicle, blocked the gate to deny him access to the hotel.
The witness added that he eventually entered the premises through the small gate, only to be attacked later by the defendants and armed youths, after they destroyed doors, windows and property belonging to the hotel.
The NUPENG President informed the court that he was on the phone, speaking with the new PTD National Chairman, Egbon, when the door to his room was forcibly opened.
“I was not with Egbon, but I was on the phone with him when I heard the door to his room broken and I heard him screaming.
“I also saw when he was being beaten and dragged from the fourth floor. He was beaten to a pulp,” Akporeha added.
He told the court that NUPENG had approximately 150 branches, of which PTD was one, stressing that there was no rivalry within the union.
Moreover, he informed the court that the union was not accustomed to using the police or the judiciary to resolve its internal disputes.
“It is not correct that one group is using the police and court against another to settle a union matter. I am the National President of the union (NUPENG); I oversee everybody.
“NUPENG is one body and there are no groups. NUPENG has about 150 branches which PTD is one of them. The issue of one group against another does not arise.”
Akporeha, the second prosecution witness, PW2, in the case, informed the court that the union conducted PTD executive elections in June 2022 at Ibadan, during which the 1st defendant, Osesua, Dayyabu Garga, and others emerged as winners.
However, he said the election was subsequently nullified by the National Industrial Court, NIC, sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, which ordered NUPENG to conduct a fresh poll for the PTD.
He told the court that some of the defendants also took the matter before the NIC in Abuja, which also nullified the election.
“After the first election was nullified, the court directed that another election be conducted. This was conducted, but some of them (defendants) went to court, and the court also nullified the second election.
“After this, NUPENG conducted another election in Ibadan, while some people also conducted another illegal election in Abuja. It is NUPENG that is supposed to conduct election. The one the court directed to be supervised by NUPENG was conducted in Ibadan,” the witness added.
He further told the court that most of those who conducted the illegal poll in Abuja did not show up in Ibadan for the election that the court ordered NUPENG to supervise.
He admitted that the Lucky Osesua-led executives, who emerged from the illegal election held in Abuja, later filed a suit against the executives elected in Ibadan, adding that he was joined as a defendant in the suit.
Akporeha denied the insinuation that the day he was attacked, he was at PTD national secretariat in Abuja, which also served as NUPENG’s liaison office, to install the executives that emerged from the election held at Ibadan.
He told the court that winners of the election in Ibadan had been inaugurated, insisting that Osesua and other defendants were not supposed to occupy the PTD national secretariat as they were not the authentic executives.
Meanwhile, Justice Halilu adjourned further hearing on the matter till November 10.
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