The leadership tussle in the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Cross River State chapter has taken a new dimension as the organization has now produced two Chairmen in the State.
The National President of the Association (IPMAN), Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo has recognized one Elder Edet Umana as chairman while the Cross River State Government announced one Mr. Robert Obi as the interim chairman of IPMAN.
Governor Ben Ayade in a statement tagged, ‘Special announcement’ said, “The Cross River State Government hereby lifts the suspension it placed on the activities of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMN) in the State.
“Government also now recognizes Mr. Robert Obi as the interim chairman of (IPMAN) in the state. The government, therefore, appeals to all the parties involved in the leadership dispute in the association to join hands in the effort to find a lasting solution to the matter. The statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Christia Ita said that, “All other issues shall be resolved shortly.”
But the National President, Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo in a swift reaction to the statement credited to the government of Cross River State and signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor said Obi is not part of the recently inaugurated Caretaker Exco in Cross River State and cannot be appointed by the government for IPMAN.
The National President noted that IPMAN has been law-abiding and the national leadership of which he remains the President is backed by the constitution of the Association and the Supreme Court Judgment in suit number SC/15/2018, wherein the powers upon which Caretaker state exco led by Elder Edet Umana in Cross River State was put in place.
He urged members of the Association in Cross River State, the general public, the state government and every stakeholder in the economic development of the state, to continue to relate with the recently inaugurated Caretaker committee state executive of the IPMAN in Cross River led by Elder Edet Umana as chairman.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Calabar by state the caretaker chairman of IPMAN,the leadership crisis in Cross River State was put to rest on the 7th of August 2019 when the Chairman of the Eastern Zonal office of IPMAN, Chief Larry Nworuh, assisted by the Zonal Legal Adviser, Obasi Nnanna Esq and some other officers of the zone, inaugurated a seventeen man caretaker exco for Cross River/ Akwa Ibom State branch led by Elder Edet Clement Umana.
He revealed that the National leadership is working assiduously to ensure that a democratically elected state exco will be in place in no distant time.
The statement from the national leadership of IPMAN further noted that some persons that can best be described as economic saboteurs are working in breach of the Supreme Court Judgment in SC/15/2018 and equally misinforming the state government for selfish interest.
Elder Umana who also spoke with newsmen after the national president reaffirmed his leadership in the State, restated his commitment to cooperate with the state government and ensure that Cross Riverians are not made to face untold hardship through fuel scarcity but rather, they should enjoy the smooth flow and availability of petroleum product in the state.
