A National Industrial Cou
rt sitting in Lagos has issued an order of interim injunction, restraining the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), from holding its delegate’s conference, pending the determination of a substantive suit before it.
The court made the order, following a suit against PENGASSAN, by two complainants, John Nwanosike and Jonathan Omare, who are members of the Chevron branch of the Association.
In their affirmation, the complainants contend that they were duly elected as delegates to the PENGASSAN conference, adding that their tenure was valid for a term of three years, but the defendants canceled their names as delegates, before the expiration of their tenure, thereby denying them the right to vote and be voted for at the conference.
In a bid to also prevent them from exercising their franchise, the second and third defendants set up a disciplinary committee to try them after they expressed the fear that their rights were been trampled.
According to them, the panel declared them guilty even when there was no evidence against them, as to the commission of any offence. The plaintiffs therefore, sought a declaration that the removal of their names as delegates to the Zonal conference and National Conference was unconstitutional.
They also sought an order, mandating the defendants to include their names, as delegates, and an order of perpetual injunction, restraining them from holding the conference, until the illegality occasioned by their removal was redressed.
Joined defendants are: PENGASSAN, its Chevron Branch, Mr Esanubi Frank and Mr Ayanate Kio.
Justice Kenneth Amadi has adjourned the case to June 30 for hearing of the motion on notice.
Meanwhile, efforts to serve the interim order at the National Secretariat of PENGASSAN at their office in 288 Ikorodu Road, Lagos was frustrated as the workers locked their gate and refused to accept service on the ground that they would not open till Wednesday, June 25 when the conference will be ending.
The delegate’s conference was billed to hold at the International Women Centre, Abuja on 24 June to 25 June.
