National President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Prince Williams Akporeha, has said that there was no time NUPENG abandoned late Chief Frank Kokori, the former General Secretary of NUPENG.
Akporeha who led a team of his executive members to commiserate with the family of late Chief Kokori at his country home in Ovu, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta, made this clarification to newsmen during the condolence visit.
He said contrary to reports in some quarters that the Union abandoned late Chief Kokori even while he was in his sick bed, NUPENG has always been involved in his life until his death.
“Against some insinuations in some quarters that Chief Kokori was not given attention, I think that insinuation is not true. Chief Kokori was a man that was always in the trenches for the masses and I think the effect is what made him so frail. But that does not mean he was abandoned. NUPENG never abandoned him. On a monthly basis NUPENG was making provisions for him. So there was no time NUPENG abandoned Pa Kokori,” Akporeha said.
Akporeha described late Chief Kokori as highly principled man who fought for democracy in Nigeria, nothing that the legacy he left will continue to be an inspiration to many.
The NUPENG president also said that Chief Kokori during his time as the National Secretary of NUPENG brought the union to global limelight adding that NUPENG will continue to remember him for all the things he has done for the country.
Akporeha said he is expecting the Federal Government to immortalize Chief Kokori because Kokori has sacrificed so much for the country adding that those enjoying the dividends of democracy today did not do as much as Chief Kokori.
“Kokori will continue to live even though he is no more because of the kind of legacy has put in place. He put NUPENG in the global map. and that is a man NUPENG will never forget. We will like to be a part of his funeral arrangements when the time comes,” Akporeha said.
Responding on behalf of late Chief Kokori’s family, Bishop Edward Orowoje (JP) thanked the leadership of NUPENG for the visit saying this has shown that NUPENG placed Chief Kokori in high regards.
He said that late Chief Kokori was a prisoner of conscience and described him like Jesus Christ who came to die for his people. He said Chief Kokori lived his entire life for the country calling on the Federal Government to immortalize the former democrat, activist and a union leader who fought for the June 12 presidential election.
“Chief Frank Kokori lived his life for this country. He was not a man after wealth because if he was this place you are now would not be like this. The democracy we are enjoying today is the struggle of Comrade Frank Kokori,” Bishop Orowoje said.
On his part one of the sons of late Chief Kokori, Comrade Efe Kokori, thanked NUPENG for coming to commiserate with them. He however lamented that the Federal Government has not really done what they are supposed to have done for his father, stressing that that was his father’s complain till his death.
