IPMAN accuses Cross River govt of interference in its internal affairs

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) is at loggerheads with the Cross River State government over the latter’s interference in its internal affairs.

IPMAN in the state, for quite some time now, has been in a leadership tussle, with Edet Umana on one side and Lawrence Agim on the other. The battle led to occasional fuel scarcity in the state.

There had been several court judgements, even from the Supreme Court, yet the crisis persisted.

Cross River government was said to be sympathetic to the Agim faction, while IPMAN national president, Chinedu Okoronkwo, prefers Umana’s leadership.

A statement issued in Calabar on Tuesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Christian Ita, ordered the immediate suspension of IPMAN activities in the state.

The order neutralised any claim to leadership of the association, thus quelling the crisis.

“Consequently, no group is to parade itself as the leadership of the association,” the statement asserted.

But the chairman of the eastern zonal office of IPMAN, Chief Larry Nworuh; the zonal legal adviser, Obasi Nnanna; and other officers of the zone, on Wednesday, condemned the action of the state government.

The chairman alleged that some power brokers in the state prevented the governor from having an audience with the IPMAN leadership.

Instead of seeking ways of resolving the matter, unscrupulous persons are reportedly using the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) to collect revenue meant for IPMAN and even sharing the money with some members of the mediating committee set up by state government.

To arrest the situation, Nworuh inaugurated a 17-man caretaker committee for Cross River/Akwa Ibom branch of IPMAN led by Umana.

After the inauguration, Nworuh said, “What is happening in Calabar is that some people who felt that they lost out after the judgement of the Supreme Court are now using some persons in PTD to frustrate the operations of IPMAN in Calabar depot. That is contempt of court. They think they can blackmail IPMAN as if we are planning strike in the state. We are not, and we have directed our members to ensure full operations.”

Umana, however, assured that there would be peace and order under his leadership.