The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has expelled the Rivers State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Alex Agwanwor, over alleged misconduct and anti-union activities.
In a letter dated February 20, 2026, and signed by the General Secretary of NUPENG, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, the union said the decision followed an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held via Zoom on February 19, 2026.
According to the letter, the NEC received and deliberated on the report of an Administrative Investigative Committee set up to probe allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Agwanwor. After what it described as extensive deliberations, the council unanimously found him guilty of all the allegations and approved his expulsion from the union with effect from February 20, 2026.
The union recalled that during its NEC meeting held on July 24, 2025, at Echelon Heights Hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, allegations of anti-union activities and misconduct were raised against Agwanwor. Consequently, the NEC resolved that a formal query be issued to him, that he be placed on suspension, and that an Administrative Investigative Committee be constituted to examine the allegations and make recommendations.
NUPENG stated that Agwanwor was placed on administrative suspension through a letter dated July 25, 2025, and was issued two separate queries dated July 25, 2025, and January 27, 2026.
The letter further disclosed that a suit filed by Agwanwor and others at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (Suit No. NICN/ABJ/234/2025), challenging the union’s powers to discipline him, was dismissed. Following the court’s decision, the NEC inaugurated the Administrative Investigative Committee on January 28, 2026, to give him the opportunity to defend himself.
However, NUPENG alleged that Agwanwor failed to respond to the second query and did not appear before the investigative committee on February 5 and 6, 2026, despite being duly invited.
The union said his failure to respond or appear before the panel denied him the opportunity to defend himself, leaving the committee to conclude its findings based on available evidence.
It stated that the expulsion takes immediate effect and remains binding unless reversed by the National Delegates Conference (NDC) of the union. The letter added that Agwanwor retains the right to appeal the decision before the NDC in line with the union’s constitution.
Copies of the letter were sent to relevant stakeholders, including the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Abuja, the Rivers State Council of the NLC, security agencies in Rivers State, and other NEC members of NUPENG.
