By Omodele Adigun
Femi Aborisade, founding National Secretary of the National Conscience Party (NCP), has stated that former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, declared himself persona non grata following his televised criticism of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN)’s strike.
Aborisade who spoke to NEWSTELLERS on Tuesday said that the former labour leader betrayed all labour movements, noting that the lawmaker stood against the fundamental right of association.
Recall that the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Monday slammed Oshiomhole over his comments on the ongoing industrial dispute between PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote refinery.
Oshiomhole, speaking on Arise TV last Friday, faulted the strike declared by PENGASSAN to protest the alleged sackings of over 800 workers at the refinery, describing it as “hasty and unfair to other workers.”
“I think that in seeking to protect a particular set of workers, you do not then risk the jobs of several other workers. When you are pursuing a dispute, the tools you deploy must be such that they do not undermine other people’s jobs,” Oshiomhole said.
However, NUPENG, in a statement jointly signed on Monday by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, condemned the former labour leader’s remarks as “a betrayal of the working class struggle” and “a complete distortion of Nigerian labour law.”
Declaring him as persona non grata within the oil and gas sector, NUPENG announced it would no longer participate in any labour event featuring the senator.
In an exclusive interview with NEWSTELLERS, Aborisade accused Oshiomhole of siding with capital against labour by standing against freedom of association and supporting termination as punishment for opting for unionisation.
He expressed full support for the decision of NUPENG saying, “I think it is not a question of whether or not NUPENG was right to declare Oshiomhole persona non grata. I think that by his comments on the PENGASSAN strike which have gone viral, Oshiomhole actually declared himself persona non grata in the entire circles of the labour movement, consisting of the trade union movement and radical pro-labour movement as a whole.”
He continued, “Oshiomhole made a choice and took a position in the struggle between labour and capital. He sided with capital against labour. In the struggle for observance of, and respect for the fundamental right of association, including unionism, Oshiomhole stood against freedom of association. In the struggle for resisting sack of 800 Engineers for opting to join PENGASSAN, Oshiomhole declared his aversion for freedom, voted for enslavement of workers and supported termination as punishment for opting for UNIONISATION.”
The activist emphasised that the right of association is a fundamental right under the Nigerian Constitution and ILO Standards, and what is involved is a question of principle.
“As the NUPENG’s statement made it clear, Oshiomhole was in the Governing Council of the ILO; he was a member of the ILO Committee of Experts that received complaints against violations of the right of association and made policy statements to ensure enforcement of the right of association/unionism, on a global level.
“The right of association is regarded as a fundamental right under the Nigerian Constitution and the ILO Standards,” Aborisade added.
He criticised Oshiomhole for forgetting his roots and failing to use his position to advance the cause of the working class and the masses who promoted him to prominence.
Furthermore, Aborisade said, “So, what is involved is a question of principle. Oshiomhole carries two caps in Nigeria today: first, he became prominent by leading Titanic struggles for fundamental freedoms and material improvement in the living standards of the Nigerian working class and the downtrodden masses. So, we can say Nigerian workers and the masses ‘made him prominent’. He rode on that prominence to become the Governor of Edo State and now Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the second cap.
“The second cap is that he is a part of the government of Nigeria as a member of the National Assembly. One would have expected that someone made by the struggles of the working class and the masses would use his position in government to advance the cause of those who promoted him to prominence. A dog will never forget anyone who once fed him. Oshiomhole should have emulated the attribute of the dog in terms of being grateful to the class that made him. But unfortunately, Oshiomhole has proven that a dog is better than him.
“Oshiomhole ought to have ensured that all arms of government and all companies operating in Nigeria observe the laws of Nigeria as a condition precedent to continued operation in Nigeria, particularly, as far as freedom of association is concerned.”
He lamented that the lawmaker’s statement and that of Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) conference, where he also attacked PENGASSAN “have shown that we don’t have a government (and senators) interested in protecting the rights of the citizen.
“We have a government (and Senators symbolised by Senator Oshiomhole) interested in protecting corporate oppression of the citizenry.
“We don’t have a government (and Senators) interested in enforcing laws meant to respect freedom of association. We have a government and Senators like Oshiomhole who are preoccupied with protecting the whims and caprices of unconscionable businesses.”
“Hence, I support, wholeheartedly, NUPENG’s declaration of Senator Adams Oshiomhole persona non grata in labour circles,” Aborisade declared.
In addition, he lauded PENGASSAN for teaching other unions a lesson on the role of trade unions in protecting the rights of workers under the Constitution and the extant laws of Nigeria.
He maintained that unions should take up the battle when the government fails to protect the rights of workers.
“We have a Federal Republic of Nigeria under a written Constitution. We do not have a Federal Republic of Dangote under the unwritten whims and caprices of either Dangote or Dangote Refinery,” he said.
Aborisade added, “We should be grateful to PENGASSAN and NUPENG for standing up to prevent Dangote and Dangote Refinery attempting to say that they are above the law of the land. No matter how wealthy an individual or company is, every person, natural and artificial, ought to be under the law, not above the law.
“I celebrate NUPENG whose strike of 8/9/25 and the ensuing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) gave the courage and opportunity to PENGASSAN to strike in protecting the rights and jobs of 800 young Engineers.”
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I must say this article is extremely well written, insightful, and packed with valuable knowledge that shows the author’s deep expertise on the subject, and I truly appreciate the time and effort that has gone into creating such high-quality content because it is not only helpful but also inspiring for readers like me who are always looking for trustworthy resources online. Keep up the good work and write more. i am a follower.
I must say this article is extremely well written, insightful, and packed with valuable knowledge that shows the author’s deep expertise on the subject, and I truly appreciate the time and effort that has gone into creating such high-quality content because it is not only helpful but also inspiring for readers like me who are always looking for trustworthy resources online. Keep up the good work and write more. i am a follower.
I must say this article is extremely well written, insightful, and packed with valuable knowledge that shows the author’s deep expertise on the subject, and I truly appreciate the time and effort that has gone into creating such high-quality content because it is not only helpful but also inspiring for readers like me who are always looking for trustworthy resources online. Keep up the good work and write more. i am a follower.