Leadership Crisis Tears IPMAN Apart

Leadership crisis is
brewing in the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) as two sets of leaders are now parading as the authentic executives of the Association.
The Tide investigation revealed that Chief Lawson Obasi and Chief Chinedu Okoronkwo are laying claim to the office of the Association’s President, following the election held on 10th and 12th May, 2014.
A source within the association who pleaded anonymity said past leaders of IPMAN’s depots and five zonal leaders have declared their allegiance to Chief Chinedu Okoronkwo’s exco.
He said Executive members of the Association at the Port Harcourt Refining Depot have pledged to work with the new national leadership led by Chief Okoronkwo to ensure steady supply of Petroleum products within the country.
The source said no IPMAN past president has ever emerged through court process but through successful elections conducted in accordance with the union’s constitution.
The former chairman of the Association at the Refining Depot Chief Samuel Obaroejor said Elders of IPMAN have reaffirmed the validity of the election of the 10th May 2014 which produced Chief Chinedu Okoronkwo as IPMAN national president and other elected executives of the Association.
The President of IPMAN has always been ushered into office through the mandate of IPMAN members nationwide, stressing that the will of the people has spoken with the election.
It would be recalled that IPMAN has been enmeshed in leadership tussle following the judgment of Federal High Court, Port Harcourt ousting the association’s former President Aminu Abdulkadir from office.

Philip Okaraji