Things have fallen apart and the centre can no longer hold again in the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN)as the leadership crisis rocking the association assumed a new dimension with the Federal Government’s recognition of one of the two contending factions, Comrade Lawson Obasi as the authentic IPMAN National chairman.

But the faction of Comrade Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo has stoutly kicked against such recognition describing it as illegal and contrary to the laiddown Labour rules and regulations.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt by Comrade Okoronkwo factional IPMAN chairman, said the Federal Government lacks the authority to appoint leadership for professional bodies as well as trade unions.

Okoronkwo explained that Obasi did not at any time contest election to be chairman of IPMAN and wondered why the immediate past Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Joel Ikenya will decree a person into leadership position without election.

He said the action was deliberate ploy and calculated attempt to cause crisis in the Association, and further entrenched a group of “oil cabals” in the association to the detriment of the law-abiding members of IPMAN.

He advised the government to immediately withdraw the recognition accorded Obasi as the National Chairman of IPMAN in the interest of peace and unity of the Association, stressing that whereas government fails to heed his leadership advice, the legitimate members of the Association will have no alternative than to explore legal means to seek redress.

Meanwhile, Comrade Lawson Obasi has reacted to the statement issued by the Comrade Chinedu Okoronkwo IPMAN faction by stressing that his recognition as IPMAN chairman was in order.

He said in a statement at the IPMAN Eastern Zonal Office in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the whole marketers were very pleased about the step taken by the federal government over the Association’s leadership crisis.

Obasi said the step will go a long way to stop the incessant scarcity of petroleum products in the country.

He said his recognition will strengthen the association as it was the wish of the majority of the members, stressing that IPMAN was in support of deregulation as it will encourage healthy competition and alleviate the suffering of the masses in their bid to get petroleum products.

The I[PMAN president said that deregulation will attract foreign investors into the oil and gas sector to create more job opportunities for Nigerians.

He said the Association is calling on the federal government to issue licenses to investors to establish modular refineries and small refineries to eradicate scarcity of the product and bring down cost.

The immediate past Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Joel Ikenya had in a letter dated May 25th, 2015, addressed to the Director General, Department of State Security Services (DSSS), Inspector General of Police, Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and other government agencies informed them of the Federal Government’s recognition of Comrade Lawson Obasi as the authentic IPMAN National chairman.

The former Minister said the recognition followed the submission of the report of the Presidential Committee set up by ex-president Goodluck Jonathan to resolve the leadership crisis in IPMAN and that one of the recommendations was that Comrade Lawson Obasi be recognised by the government as the lawful National President of IPMAN and government compliance was with, immediate effect.

Philip Okparaji