Nigerian court nullifies PENGASSAN Chevron election

On August 10, 2026, the Nigeria — National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Lagos Division, delivered a judgment in Suit No. NICN/LA/214/2025, nullifying the September 16, 2025 elections conducted by the PENGASSAN (PENGASSAN) for its Chevron branch. The court, presided over by Justice Joyce A. O. Damachi, declared unconstitutional and void the October 8, 2024 dissolution of the Chevron Branch Executive Committee (BECOM) and Chapter Executive Committee (CECOM) by PENGASSAN's Central Working Committee (CWC). It also invalidated the eight-member caretaker committee constituted to administer the branch, holding that its composition and extended tenure violated Rule 31.4 of the PENGASSAN Constitution. The court upheld the validity of the Chevron branch bye-laws dated February 10, 2017, as reviewed in February 2022, and nullified the election guidelines issued by the PENGASSAN National Secretariat on July 30, 2025. The judge described the September 2025 elections as 'a complete sham' and set them aside, ordering PENGASSAN to conduct fresh elections within 30 days under the supervision of the South-West Zonal Director of Labour, Federal Ministry of Labour, Lagos. The court also awarded N1 million in costs against PENGASSAN. The suit was filed by seven Chevron branch members against PENGASSAN, its National President Festus Osifo, General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, and caretaker committee members. The judgment is part of ongoing judicial interventions in PENGASSAN's internal affairs, following a similar ruling in January 2026 regarding the NMDPRA branch.