TUC, PENGASSAN Face Legal Challenge Over Leadership Dispute

A legal dispute has arisen between the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) involving Rivers State labor leader Ikechukwu Foster Onyefuru. Onyefuru, who is a senior staff member of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, is contesting his suspension as Chairman of the Rivers State Council of the TUC, which he assumed on September 26, 2022.

The TUC suspended him on June 25, 2024, citing misconduct for granting unauthorized media interviews. Onyefuru argues that the suspension did not follow the TUC's 2024 Constitution and seeks to be reinstated for the remainder of his tenure, along with N10 million in damages.

The case is filed as NICN/PH/60/2026. Additionally, in a separate case NICN/PH/63/2026, Onyefuru and nine others are challenging PENGASSAN's decision to dissolve their elected executive on May 9, 2025, replacing it with a caretaker committee led by Akpe Emmanuel, less than two months after the acquisition of SPDC shares by Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings.