The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has announced the expulsion of the Rivers State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alex Agwanwor, over alleged misconduct and anti-union activities.
In a letter dated February 20, 2026, and signed by its General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG said the decision was reached on Thursday, February 19, 2026 during an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) held via Zoom Conferencing.
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 NEC unanimously found him guilty of all the allegations and approved his expulsion from the union with effect from Friday, February 20, 2026.
The union recalled that during its NEC meeting held on Thursday, 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 Wednesday, 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, adding 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.
When contacted by Kristina Reports, the embattled NLC Rivers State Chairman, Alex Agwanwor said he was ignorant of the allegations, stating that the matter is subjudice as it was before a competent court of law, adding that he will speak through his lawyer when he is ready.