The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has expressed sadness over the death of its former general secretary Frank Kokori.
Kokori died around 1:30 am on his 80th birthday on Thursday.
Speaking with NAN in Lagos, NUPENG president Williams Akporeha said the association wished he lived longer, adding that he was a beacon of democratic struggles in Nigeria.
Akporeha said, “He stood firm and continued to speak for the downtrodden until his last breath on earth. We wish he lived longer. It is a sad day for us in NUPENG and will continue to celebrate him.
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“Kokori was a well-known, committed and dedicated defender, promoter and fighter for workers’ rights and democratic rights of the citizens.
“He spent a life of ‘sacrifice’ to struggles for emancipation of the working class globally and enthronement of democratic rule in Nigeria.”
Kokori played a major role in the struggle for the validation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Moshood Abiola.
He led NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in organising nationwide strikes that crippled the oil industry intending to force the Ibrahim Babangida military regime to reverse the annulment of the election.
Due to his activism, Kokori was arrested and detained by the military government.
