A fierce war of words has erupted in Nigeria’s labour circles, as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) branded Senator Adams Oshiomhole “the Judas Iscariot of trade unionism” over his comments on the Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN crisis.
In a fiery statement signed by its leaders, Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG blasted the former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president for “attacking the fundamental rights of Nigerian workers and distorting labour laws.”
The union accused Oshiomhole of turning his back on the working class he once championed.
“We view with deep disappointment a former labour leader who has morphed into a staunch defender of corporate oppression,” NUPENG said.
Referencing former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s famous jibe, the union wondered if Oshiomhole still fits the description of “a comrade in the morning and a politician by night.”
“If so, does such a figure possess the authority to lecture others on strategy or morality?” it asked pointedly.
NUPENG further accused the Edo North senator of hypocrisy, claiming he “held onto the General Secretary role at the National Union of Textile Workers until 2008, a year after leaving the NLC.”
The union described his position on union rights as “a regressive idea with no basis in modern democracy.”
Quoting constitutional and ILO provisions, NUPENG reaffirmed that workers have an undeniable right to join or form unions, adding that Oshiomhole’s stance “betrays the very foundation of labour freedom.”
The statement thundered: “His current position is not that of a pragmatic reformer but the rantings of an apostate, seduced by power and compromised by vested interests.”
Citing his criticism of the PENGASSAN strike, NUPENG said Oshiomhole had forgotten the struggles he once led.
“For a former NLC leader to decry this now exposes a shift from class solidarity to alignment with oppressors,” it declared.
In a dramatic finale, NUPENG announced that Oshiomhole is now persona non grata among oil and gas workers.
“This declaration means we will no longer participate in or legitimize any events featuring him,” it warned.
“The Senator’s stance marks him as the Judas Iscariot of Nigerian trade unionism — a profound betrayal of the working class.”
