Aggrieved PTD Members Petition NHRC Over Alleged Victimisation

Mrs. Aluchi Amurukwu, NUPENG’s Principal Organising Secretary, Lagos Office, Addressing The Aggrevied Members

Aggrieved PTD Members Petition NHRC Over Alleged Victimisation

Some members Ejigbo branch of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), Lagos State, have seek intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), over what they discribed as lawlessness and Victimisation of their leaders.

The aggrevied members made the appeal recently when they stormed Lagos office of their Union to submit a copy letter on the alleged lawlessness and Victimisation to their national body.

The aggrieved members led by Comrade Olaitan Isiak Buna’s Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) drew NHRC’s attention to the alleged acts of lawlessness and Victimisation of Comrade Morufu Akanni Eleja’s led union,which they said is capable of constituting threats to peace.

The aggrieved members in their petition captioned, “Petition in Respect of Alleged Lawlessness and Victimization by Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja, Chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Ejigbo Branch, Lagos.”

Parts of the petition reads; “Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA), on behalf of concerned bona-fide members of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTO), Ejigbo branch in Lagos wishes to draw the attention of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to the alleged lawlessness and victimisation by Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja, the branch Chairman of our union. 

“It is pertinent to draw the attention of the police to the prevailing situation in Ejigbo branch of PTD as it is inmmical to the spirit and letter of trade union and capable of constituting threats to pesce. 

“HURMA Is compelled to forward this petition as the last resort; having exhausted immidiate internal mechanism for seeking redress to no avail. HURMA’’s findings indicate that the affairs of Ejigbo branch of PTD under the leadership of Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja has been subjected to misrule, mismanagement following the emergence of Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja as chairman on March 14, 2018. 

“Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja has, since assumption of office, deployed divide and rule tactics as means of alienating members and, by so doing, engaged in violation of rights of members of Ejigbo branch of PTD with impunity. 

HURMA is convinced that the conduct of Comrade Marufu Akanni is a glaring violation of the Constitution of the Union and in defiance of the Convention of international Labour Organizat an (ILO). The conduct of Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleya as manifest mth penchant for witch-hunt and brigandage negates standard practice of managing the aftairs of the uruon. Notable amongst members of Ejigbo branch of PTD targeted for persecution and possidle harm by Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja are: Comrade Adebayo Ajani, Comrade Jide Okunnu, Comrade Hadi Oseni, Comrade Saheed Alagbeleye and Comrade Lukman Eluku. 

“HURMA’s findings show that Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja has frustrated legitimate process of effecting change in the leadership of the union which ought to have taken effect by March 14, 2022 as required by the Constitution of the union. Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja has thus deliberately refused to allow the process leading to the conduct of peaceful election following expiration of his tenure as stipulated by the Constitution of PTD and in line with the standard practice of affiliated unions of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).”

Receiving the petition on behalf of the Union’s national body, Aluchi Amurukwu, NUPENG’s Principal Organicing Secretary, Lagos Office, while commending the aggrevied members for peaceful steps taken, said all their demands shall be look into at channelled same to the national body for immediate resolution.

She said: “this is a very peaceful protest,this is the only way you can say your agitations. You stated that all your efforts to solve a matter in you branch is not working.

“I will pass your message to our leaders . There is no need for quarrel and there is no need for something that will put the Union in a limelight that is not good either within or outside.”

editor

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