“Act Like a Dictator If You Must — Dissolve PENGASSAN for National Interest, Ndume Tells Tinubu”

In a fiery outburst that has set the nation’s labour space ablaze, Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to wield his authority without hesitation—even if it means being branded a dictator—by dissolving the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) should the union refuse to align its activities with Nigeria’s national interest.

Ndume’s stern remarks came in response to PENGASSAN’s weekend directive to its members to commence a nationwide strike, following the dismissal of more than 800 workers at the privately-owned Dangote Refinery. The refinery, however, accused the union of weaponizing industrial action to further strain an already fragile economy and deepen the suffering of Nigerians.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Monday, the outspoken senator lambasted what he described as “a recurring culture of selfish unionism” that places individual or sectional interests above the welfare of over 200 million citizens.

> “PENGASSAN is supposed to be a professional body with a duty to safeguard Nigerians’ access to energy resources. Instead, what we see is coercion, disruption, and overreach. No Nigerian should be forced into a union that works against the people’s collective good,” Ndume thundered.

He faulted the union for attempting to arm-twist the Dangote Refinery, arguing that a private enterprise has no obligation to bend to the dictates of a labour union. “If PENGASSAN wants to flex its muscles, it should not be at the expense of the Nigerian people or the operations of a private investor,” he added.

The lawmaker did not stop there. He accused PENGASSAN of selective activism, questioning its silence during crucial turning points in the oil and gas sector. “Where was PENGASSAN when fuel subsidy was removed? Where were they when our government-owned refineries collapsed? Where were they when fuel prices hit ₦1,000 per litre and Nigerians groaned in pain?” Ndume asked pointedly.

Ndume further charged that the union had no claim over Nigeria’s oil and gas assets, stressing that it had only succeeded in restricting access to energy rather than protecting it.

In a dramatic climax, he urged President Tinubu to consider issuing an executive order to disband PENGASSAN outright, insisting that drastic times call for drastic measures.

> “If it takes acting like a dictator to protect this country from sabotage and hardship, then so be it. The president must act decisively, and Nigerians will stand with him,” Ndume declared.
His comments have already ignited fresh debate over the balance between labour rights, private investment, and national security—raising the stakes in what could become one of the most consequential showdowns between government, unions, and corporate Nigeria in recent years.