Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has called on President Bola Tinubu to dissolve the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) if the union persists in pursuing what he described as “private interests” at the expense of the public good.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, Ndume criticised the union’s nationwide strike over the alleged dismissal of more than 800 workers at the Dangote Refinery. The Dangote Group had earlier accused PENGASSAN of attempting to “weaponise hardship” against Nigerians through its industrial action.

Ndume, a longstanding critic of oil sector unions, faulted PENGASSAN for what he called efforts to “impose demands” on a private business. He argued that the union should focus on protecting Nigerians’ welfare rather than advancing narrow objectives.

“This is Nigeria, which is supposed to be a free country. You can’t force someone to be in the union,” he said, stressing that oil and gas resources belong to the nation, not the workers.

The senator also questioned the union’s silence during major disruptions in the sector, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the closure of government-owned refineries. “They are just workers. How can they be asking for more than the owners?” he asked.

Ndume maintained that government intervention was needed to safeguard national interests, even if it required exceptional measures. “The best thing is for the president to sign an executive order calling them off. He has the right to dissolve them,” he said. “In this case, I don’t mind if he acts like a dictator because some situations require very drastic measures.”