Drama at Oyo Assembly as factional IPMAN chairmen appear before lawmakers

There was drama at the plenary of the Oyo State House of Assembly on Tuesday as the two factional chairmen of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), South-West Chapter, appeared before the lawmakers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Assembly had on Aug. 11 summoned the Chairman and Secretary of IPMAN and some other institutions over alleged sharp practices at filling stations in the state.

The factional chairmen who appeared at the plenary were Alhaji Rasak Raheem and Alhaji Kunle Busari.

The Speaker, Hon. Michael Adeyemo, however, said the House invited IPMAN’s chairman and secretary and not the factional executives, urging the warring groups to settle their rift.

“We have not invited you here to dabble into your internal affairs but as employers of labour, I think it is very necessary that you settle your differences and present the body as one to the public,” he said.

But Hon. Gbenga Oyekola (LP-Atiba) moved the motion that the papers submitted by the factional chairmen be considered by the relevant committee of the house.

The motion was seconded by the Majority Leader, Hon. Kehinde Subair (APC-Ibadan South-West I).

Adeyemo ordered the factional groups to leave, saying IPMAN would be invited at a later date by the relevant committee after studying the papers submitted.

Also invited were the Zonal Director, Department of Petroleum Resources(DPR), the Manager, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC), Ibadan Depot, as well as the Permanent Secretary and Director, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Oyo State.

NAN, however, reports that the representative of DPR was absent at the plenary while the representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Industry were removed from the list on the grounds that they were not involved in the matter being deliberated on.

Speaking on a motion to eradicate gang violence and other criminal activities in the state, Adeyemo urged the state police command to deploy competent police officers across the state.

He also said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, would be invited to meet the assembly’s parliamentary caucus.

Adeyemo, who also called on the executive to re-present the Criminal Justice Administration Bill to the assembly for consideration, adjourned plenary to Thursday.