The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called on politicians to improve and guide the democratic values that emerged from struggle for the actualisation of the June 12 election.
The senior staff trade union also advised the political class not to allow the struggles of past heroes to be in vain by heating the polity.
Speaking on this year’s commemoration of the June 12 election, the PENGASSAN National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Fortune Obi, commended President Muhammad Buhari, for recognising and according June 12 the right status in the nation’s history.
The PENGASSAN Spokesman added that the recognition and actualisation has indeed vindicated the union and its leadership who fought for the democracy being enjoyed by all in Nigeria today.
He stated that there is need for the political leaders to address and resolve issues that can threaten the democracy, adding that the government should urgently deal with insecurity and work on further programmes that can improve people’s welfare.
He charged politicians to eschew acts that can cause chaos and division in the country.
Comrade Obi, however, said that all those involved in the struggle should be duly recognised.
“Though we appreciated the recognition of the June 12 as the democracy day in this country, we however noticed that many of those involved in the struggle are left out of the list by the government.
“We recalled the role PENGASSAN and NUPENG played and the price paid by both umions and their leadership at that time for the actualisation of the democracy that is now being enjoyed in the country.
” While the leadership of the unions were dissolved by the Abacha government and sole administrators appointed for them, they were also starved of funds.
“The two general secretaries, Comrade Gilchrist Dabibi and Comrade Frank Ovie Kokori, and Comrade Frank Addo of PENGASSAN as well as other leaders of the unions, including the then Port Harcourt Refinery Branch Secretary were casted in jail.
Many activists of the Campaign for Democracy and union leaders, including the then PENGASSAN President, Comrade Ganiu Owoduni were hounded out of the country to seek asylum in foreign countries.”
