Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South and a former Chief Whip of the Senate, has vehemently called for dialogue to resolve the escalating face-off between Dangote Refinery and key players in Nigeria's oil industry, including the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Depot and Petroleum Product Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN). In a statement issued from Abuja, Ndume urged all concerned stakeholders, including NUPENG and PENGASSAN, to engage in constructive discussions with Dangote rather than fostering division and sensationalism in the media.

The dispute stems from multiple allegations against Dangote Refinery. NUPENG recently initiated an industrial action, which led to depot shutdowns, claiming that Dangote Refinery's management refused to allow its truck drivers to join the union, an action NUPENG deemed a violation of the Trade Union Act and anti-labour practice. This strike was later suspended following interventions from the Federal Government and the Department of State Security. Concurrently, DAPPMAN accused Dangote Refinery of attempting to stifle competition by allegedly selling its refined products at cheaper prices to international traders compared to local marketers within Nigeria.

Senator Ndume expressed significant concern over what he termed a "poisonous media narrative" designed to portray Dangote in a negative light both domestically and internationally, deeming such developments unhealthy for the nation's economic landscape. He challenged the critics by highlighting the historical context of Nigeria's refining sector, recalling that previous administrations had granted numerous licenses to private operators for building refineries as far back as 2002 and 2007. Ndume lamented that many of these license holders, including those during the Muhammadu Buhari administration for modular refineries, failed to make tangible progress, often merely capitalizing on crude oil allocation incentives. He asserted that those currently "parading themselves as fuel importers" did not seize the initiative to collectively establish refineries and are now falsely accusing Dangote of monopolizing the market. Ndume firmly dismissed claims of monopoly in what he described as a deregulated industry, affirming that there are no deliberate bottlenecks or special concessions accorded to any player to the detriment of others, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). He stressed that the collective goal should be to balance labour rights with national development imperatives, ensuring ordinary citizens are not victimized by "a needless power tussle."

Adding another layer to the conflict, a coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs), including Civil Rights Defenders Advocates, Citizens for Economic Justice, and Nigeria Freedom Network, has publicly backed Dangote Petroleum Refinery. This coalition has threatened legal action against NUPENG, accusing the union of "economic terrorism" and employing coercive tactics against refinery workers. Dr. Agabi Emmanuel, convener of the coalition, specifically condemned NUPENG for allegedly violating constitutional freedoms by pressing workers, including truck drivers, to join the union through threats of blockades and intimidation. Emmanuel cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which upholds the right to freely associate or abstain from unions, and highlighted NUPENG's reported actions, such as obstructing non-union workers from loading fuel and affixing seals on trucks, as breaches of the Trade Unions Act and Trade Disputes Act. The CSOs lauded Dangote Refinery for upholding voluntarism and maintaining a safe working environment, contrasting it with NUPENG's "strong-arm tactics" which they believe compromise Nigeria's energy security. The coalition vowed to file lawsuits against any entity forcing workers into union membership, reiterating that "the right to choose is non-negotiable." Furthermore, the CSOs urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate NUPENG's alleged sponsors and claims of high-profile intimidation, including involving the Navy and helicopter flyovers, emphasizing that complicit parties should face prosecution for economic terrorism. The CSOs concluded by calling on the Federal Government, civil society, and international labor bodies to denounce NUPENG’s "economic blackmail" and support industrial harmony for the benefit of the Nigerian people.