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PENGASSAN Members Accuse Festus Osifo Of Undemocratic Conduct, Constitutional Violations
Tensions are rising within the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) as members of its Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) branch have accused the association’s national president, Festus Osifo, and general secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, of “undemocratic conduct and constitutional violations.”
In a petition addressed to the Registrar of Trade Unions under the Ministry of Labour and Productivity — and seen by TheCable — the “concerned members” alleged that the actions of the national leadership amounted to “abuse of office” and a “gross violation” of PENGASSAN’s constitution. They urged the federal government to intervene in order to safeguard internal democracy within the union.
“As a branch under the PENGASSAN structure, we have made several efforts to engage the national leadership constructively on matters affecting our members and the proper administration of our branch in line with the constitution of our union,” the petition read. “Despite our numerous letters and correspondences, there has been utter disregard and non-responsiveness.”
According to the group, which claims to represent more than 523 members — over two-thirds of the NMDPRA branch — the PENGASSAN leadership unlawfully interfered with their internal electoral process. They accused the national body of appointing a caretaker committee (CTC) to oversee the branch’s affairs without conducting proper elections.
Documents cited in the petition indicate that on June 27, the national leadership sent a letter informing the NMDPRA branch that a caretaker committee had been constituted to manage its operations. The branch, however, rejected the move, describing it as “entirely wrong,” “unacceptable,” and “unconstitutional.”
Following the dispute, the branch members said they repeatedly wrote to the Central Working Committee (CWC) seeking permission to conduct elections but received no positive response. The group claimed it was then compelled to escalate the matter to the Minister of Labour and Employment.
According to the petition, the minister responded in August, urging both parties to remain calm and to suspend any planned elections while efforts were made to resolve the crisis amicably. However, the branch members alleged that the CWC defied the directive and “almost immediately inaugurated” the caretaker committee, further deepening the standoff
In their letter to PENGASSAN’s National Executive Committee (NEC) — sent through their lawyers — the NMDPRA branch members described the move as “continued non-compliance and unconstitutional acts,” insisting that the current leadership’s actions undermine democratic principles within the union.
The petition has intensified calls for government oversight of trade union practices, with members stressing that transparency and internal democracy must remain central to PENGASSAN’s operations.