By Adewale Sanyaolu
The crisis rocking the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) seems to be heading for final resolution as association’s Board of Trustees (BoT) has warned against the proposed inauguration of parallel National Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled for today (Tuesday) in Abuja.
A statement by the IPMAN Board of Trustees Secretary, Mr. Tunji Adeniji, on Monday, said the warning became imperative against the backdrop of a purported invitation to inauguration of NEC members by the Sanusi Abdul- Fari-led group faction which he described as illegal.
Adeniji said that the BoT chairman led by Alhaji Abdulkadri Aminu, has notified security agencies of the purported illegal inauguration of NEC members by some group of individuals.
He said that the current BoT of IPMAN has received information that there are plans by some factions of IPMAN to install another leadership for IPMAN in Abuja today
The IPMAN BoT Secretary said the move was a flagrant violation of the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court on December 14, 2018.
Adeniji said the judgment delivered by Justice Musa Muhammad, in suit No. SC15/2015, recognised Mr. Chinedu Okoronkwo, and Alhaji Danladi Pasali, as President and Secretary of IPMAN, respectively with other elected executives.
He said the tenure of the current IPMAN executives would expire on December 14, 2023, adding that IPMAN had already zoned the next president of the association to the North West.
“Any attempt to install another set of persons as NEC of IPMAN is null and void because the matter has been settled by the Supreme Court which is the final arbiter of justice in Nigeria.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Baba, have already directed that the judgment must be complied with.
We are therefore, calling on security agencies to apprehend those behind the move in order to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
It must be noted that IPMAN as an association has only one registered Board of Trustee (BoT) and registered constitution with the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC).’’