Connect with us

News

AROGMA Distances Itself from NUPENG’s Planned Strike, Urges Drivers to Continue Loading

Published

on

 

 

The Arewa Oil and Gas Marketers Association of Nigeria (AROGMA) has distanced itself from the planned nationwide strike called by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) slated for September 8th.

The President of AROGMA, Bashir Ahmad Danmalam, stated this in a release issued to newsmen.

Danmalam called on tanker drivers and Nigerians to ignore NUPENG’s directive.

He said the majority of NUPENG members are on the government payroll.

According to Danmalam, “How can the majority of Nigerians who cannot earn a living unless they go out daily, including drivers and oil workers embark on a strike that will plunge the country into further hardship?”

The AROGMA president further said Nigerians are in a critical economic situation. “If they go on strike, what are Nigerians going to earn?” he asked, noting that Nigerians are not ready for a strike.

He called on Nigerians to rally behind Dangote so they can continue to enjoy subsidies on petroleum products.

“If Nigerians do not back Dangote, and if he stops selling petrol to Nigerians, it will become very expensive,” he said.

He added that Arewa Oil and Gas is not in conflict with Dangote and commended him for the way he handles the distribution of petroleum products.

“If not for Dangote’s prompt intervention in the petroleum sector, one would have to buy it in dollars. He has the power to sell his products abroad, but due to his patriotism, he decided that Nigerians will continue to benefit.”

“Gone are the days when one had to liaise with unions to embark on industrial action.”

Advert

“AROGMA will take legal action. We are not backing them. If NUPENG goes on strike, we will take legal action against them.”

“NUPENG’s actions show they are enemies of Nigerians.”

The AROGMA president added that they support anything that will bring positive change. “Even if Dangote makes a mistake, let us sit down with him and iron out the issues.”

“Therefore, we do not agree with the strike. We are not backing them at all.”

Danmalam said they have instructed all their drivers across Nigeria to continue loading petroleum products. “If they choose to follow NUPENG’s instruction, we are ready for them.”

“There are many drivers seeking employment with us, so we have a way of retrenching drivers. Many Nigerians want to be drivers.”

“If you are having a conflict with Dangote, go and continue with your conflict, but do not draw Arewa Oil and Gas into the issue.”

Bashir Danmalam also accused the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) of “crying wolf” over impending changes in the petroleum sector, which he claims will end their long-standing monopoly.

Danmalam alleged that NUPENG’s resistance stems from the imminent loss of illicit financial gains, imposition of levies, and the usurpation of rights belonging to other associations. “They will no longer have the monopoly to dominate the industry,” he said.

He criticized those accusing Dangote of attempting to monopolize the midstream and downstream sectors, stating that they themselves had monopolized the Nigerian petroleum space for years. “They have forgotten what they did to Nigerians. Now they are about to be sent out completely,” Danmalam said, adding, “I said this before in one of our meetings when there is too much sand in the soup, even the blind man will see it.”

Danmalam clarified that the Dangote Refinery has not banned union activities, but has proposed that its drivers form a union under a different name from the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a branch of NUPENG. “The truth is that NUPENG cannot exist without PTD. That’s what they use to cause damage. Without transportation of products, there’s tension but that era is over,” he stated.

 

Danmalam accused NUPENG of trying to sabotage the refinery’s efforts out of greed and selfish interest. “They used the system to enrich themselves. Let them go and sleep and allow our products to be delivered to outlets without cost by Dangote Refinery,” he said.

He dismissed threats of strike action by NUPENG, saying it would have no impact. “Even within the union, only a few benefit. Besides, there is division within PTD. It’s going to be a strenuous exercise for NUPENG,” Danmalam concluded.

 

 

News

None of Nigeria’s Presidents have Brigadier Generals as ADC, as the promotion of Tinubu’s ADC was shelved.

Published

on

None of Nigeria’s Presidents have Brigadier Generals as ADC, as the promotion of Tinubu’s ADC was shelved.”

The controversial plan to decorate Nurudeen Yusuf, aide-de-camp (ADC) to President Bola Tinubu, as a one-star general on Monday evening was shelved at the last minute after an intervention by two former chiefs of army staff.

Yusuf, who was only decorated as a colonel last January, was to be promoted to the rank of brigadier-general through “special presidential promotion”.

Under normal process, an officer has to be a colonel for at least four years after which he or she will attend the National Defence College (NDC) before they are considered for promotion.

Advert

The approval to bypass the process was conveyed in a letter from the office of the national security adviser (NSA) to the Chief of army staff.

No brigadier has ever been ADC to the president of Nigeria, leading to further disquiet within the military establishment.

Ahead of the planned decoration on Monday, the minister of defence, Chris Musa — who is a retired general — and the chief of army staff, Waidi Shaibu, a lieutenant general, had cut short their visit to Lagos state and returned to the federal capital.

However, two highly respected former army chiefs eventually succeeded in persuading Tinubu to shelve the plan because of the dangers to the military establishment, TheCable learnt.

A presidential source told that the promotion is not going to happen “anytime soon”.

 

 

The cable

Continue Reading

News

Breaking:Former Chief Justice Of Nigeria Ibrahim Tanko Is Dead

Published

on

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad (retd.), is dead.

A close source confirmed to SaharaReporters on Tuesday morning that the former head of Nigerian judiciary passed away at a hospital in Saudi Arabia.

“Ex-CJN Tanko Muhammad is dead. He passed away this morning at a Saudi Arabian Hospital,” the source said.

Advert

Nigeria Tracker reports that Late President Muhammadu Buhari appointed late Justice Ibrahim Tanko into the exalted seat after the sacking of his predecessor Justice Samuel Walter Onnoghen over the issue of code of conduct in January 2019.

In Late 2022 Justice Ibrahim Tanko suddenly exited the seat due to what many said intense pressure from cabals in Late President Muhammad Buhari’s presidency and was succeeded by retired Justice olukayode .

Late Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad hails from Bauchi state .

Continue Reading

News

The Aso Rock Gossip That Made Late President Buhari Lock His Wife Out

Published

on

 

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

In a new biography, former First Lady Aisha Buhari has revealed that late President Muhammadu Buhari began locking his bedroom door, preventing her from gaining access, after hearing rumors within Aso Rock that she intended to kill him.

This personal account is featured in the 600-page book, ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari’, where Aisha Buhari details her experience managing her husband’s health challenges during his presidency.

She stated that the former president, trusting the gossip circulating within the presidential villa, altered some of his personal habits as a result.

The biography, which was authored by Charles Omole, director-general of the Institute for Police and Security Policy Research, was launched at the presidential villa in Abuja.

Advert

Many high-profile persons and political chieftains, including President Bola Tinubu, attended the launch.

In the book, Aisha said Buhari’s 2017 health crisis was not a mysterious ailment or the effect of poisoning, but began after a broken feeding routine and mismanaged nutritional habits.

The former first lady said she had long managed her husband’s meals and supplements at specific hours, adding that the regimen helped Buhari to maintain stability.

“According to Aisha Buhari, her husband’s 2017 health crisis did not originate as a mysterious ailment or a covert plot. It started, she says, with the loss of a routine; ‘my nutrition,’ she describes it, a pattern of meals and supplements she had long overseen in Kaduna before they moved into Aso Villa,” the book reads.

When they moved to the villa, she said she convened a meeting with close staff including Suhayb Rafindadi, the physician; Bashir Abubakar, the chief security officer; the housekeeper, and the DSS DG to explain the plan.

After some time, the plan was discontinued.

“When the Presidency’s machinery took over our private lives, I explained the plan: daily, at specific hours, cups and bowls with tailored vitamin powders and oil, a touch of protein here, a change to cereals there. Elderly bodies require gentle, consistent support,” Aisha was quoted as saying in the book.

“Then came the gossip and the fearmongering. They said I wanted to kill him.

“My husband believed them for a week or so,” she said, adding that the president began locking his room, changed small habits, and crucially, “meals were delayed or missed; the supplements were stopped”.

“For a year, he did not have lunch. They mismanaged his meals,” she added.

Aisha denied stories of plots to poison her husband, adding that Buhari’s health began deteriorating because of “loss of a routine, ‘my nutrition,’ was the genesis of the crisis”.

Continue Reading

Trending