Speaking as a guest on Sunrise FM “Matters of the Moment”, and monitored by EnuguDaily, Dr. Udeze accused the union of insincerity and pursuing a “hidden agenda” detrimental to the Nigerian populace.
Dr. Udeze questioned PENGASSAN’s intense focus on the Dangote Refinery, a private entity, arguing that the company’s CEO has the right to set employment terms, including conditions regarding union membership.
He pointed out that the union failed to take decisive action on more pressing national issues, such as the removal of the fuel subsidy and the dilapidated state of Nigeria’s three government-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.
“Pengassan on its own is not very sincere because they have every other thing that they should have embarked on strike for,” Dr. Udeze stated. “The refineries of Nigeria are not working… It is enough for them to go on strike and say, ‘government, you must put these things in order so that the people will be enjoying.'”
The university don suggested that the union’s actions are driven by a desire to prevent a decrease in fuel prices.
He argued that a fully functional Dangote Refinery would introduce competition and encourage other investors, ultimately benefiting Nigerian consumers.
“[They] don’t want the price of oil to come down,” he asserted, implying that certain powerful groups benefit from the importation of refined oil, a practice necessitated by the failure of local refineries.
Dr. Udeze also criticized the federal government for its handling of the crisis, calling its nine-hour deadlock negotiation with the feuding parties appalling.
He urged the government to take a firm and decisive stance against the strike to prevent catastrophic economic consequences.
He warned that a strike would lead to a “triple hike” in the cost of fuel, which would have a ripple effect, increasing prices for transportation, food, and other essential commodities, thereby causing “unimaginable” hardship for the masses.
Furthermore, he expressed disappointment with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for supporting PENGASSAN’s position, accusing its current leadership of consistently failing to act in the best interest of Nigerian workers and citizens.
Dr. Udeze called on the government to order PENGASSAN to abandon the strike and instead focus its energy on compelling the authorities to repair the nation’s moribund refineries.
He believes this is the true path to alleviating the suffering of the Nigerian people and ensuring a stable and competitive petroleum sector.
