There are indications that the fuel scarcity which has entered its second month, May remain across the nation as infighting in the leadership of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) appears set to compound the already complex state of affairs.

Sources told The Tide that the South-East Zonal Chairman of IPMAN, Mr Obasi Lawson is contenting with the National President, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir for the presidency.

Abdulkadir told reporters in Abuja that Lawson ignored a court order restraining him from parading himself as IPMAN president and rather proceeded to obtain another order from a court in Port Harcourt claiming to be the president of the association.

Abdulkadir, who expressed fear that the development was capable of eroding marketers’ confidence, stressed that it could also trigger negative impact on the already unstable fuel supply situation in the country.

According to him, “for those our members who would not understand these technicalities, that is why we are afraid that it may affect the flow of product supply in the country, if it is not checked on time”.

He said in a press conference that if the action of Lawson is not checked, it could cause serious disruption hence he decided to organize the press conference so that IPMAN members’ confidence could be restored to enable them pay and lift fuel without fear.

He noted that Lawson, who failed to appeal the May 9th 2013 verdict of Justice A.M Liman of the Federal High Court in Benin, rather chose to approach a different court of same competent jurisdiction.

Abdulkadir recalled that the current fuel scarcity was prompted by a small cabal in the industry, remarking that “we have about four refineries in Nigeria, so, when one or two are hit by vandals, we have contraction of supply internally in the hinterland”.

He explained that the only option was to move products from the coast to the hinterland, by so doing, the jetties and oil terminals would be decongested.

Meanwhile, the fuel scarcity continues as only few filling stations are selling the products in various parts of Rivers State.

Our correspondent who monitored the situation said long queues still remain at fitting stations with many selling above the official N97.00 pump price per litre.

At Conoil along Aba Road, the official pump price was maintained apparently because the Rivers State Commissioner for Energy, Hon Okey Amadi recently sealed one of the company’s stations for selling above the pump price.

Many filling stations were selling fuel at varying prices ranging from between N120 and N150 per litre.

The NNPC mega station at Lagos Bus Stop, which appears the most reliable fuel selling point, remains congested as very long queues of vehicles cluster the station for products.

Other filling stations along Station Road, and in most parts of the city, witnessed irregular supply of fuel and long queens of motorists wasting valuable man-hours to get petrol for their vehicles.

Chris Oluoh