Leadership crisis hits IPMAN’s Midwest zone

Two factions of the mid western zone of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), yesterday, emerged in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

The factions, led by Ogbeide Konkon and Solomon Ogbewe, are claiming to be members of the association’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and therefore leaders of IPMAN in the zone.

Mr Ogbeide’s faction explained that the former Ogbewe-led caretaker committee has been dissolved.

He cited a letter, dated July 1, 2016, addressed to IPMAN’S national ex-officio member in Warri, Delta State, Ben Ojugo, and signed by the National President, Chinedu Okoronkwo, as alibi.

“The NEC of IPMAN has dissolved the zonal caretaker committee of mid western zone, led by Mr S.N Ogbewe with immediate effect, in accordance with the amended IPMAN Constitution 2009.

“Having outlived its usefulness, they are advised to handover all IPMAN properties in their possession to the IPMAN National Headquarters. All relevant authorities should please accordingly,” he said.

Ogeide told The Guardian that he emerged as BoT member at a recent meeting presided over by Okoronkwo, where the leadership pledged to work with President Muhammadu Buhari, in his efforts to ensure regular supply of petroleum products.

But, the Ogbewe-led faction, told journalists in Benin, that he remains the authentic chairman in the zone, describing his purported removal as baseless and laughable.

Ogbewe, who addressed newsmen at the Benin airport, said he had just arrived from IPMAN meeting in Abuja.

He described the Okoronkwo-led group as that of a drowning man looking for somebody to pull along.

According to him, “We waded into the matter to save the association from collapse. We are confident that the new leadership of IPMAN under Lawson Obasi, is prepared to put the association into a sound footing with the Federal Government.”

Ogbewe also explained that the current leadership is focused, particularly in its alignment with President Buhari’s policy on the deregulation of petroleum products.

He, therefore, urged the people to disregard Okoronkwo and his group, stating they do not have the mandate to remove any member from position.