IPMAN advises Gov Otu not to factionalize Calabar Unit
From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
The Calabar Unit of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has advised the state governor Senator Bassey Otu not to factionalize the Calabar Unit of the association.
Comrade Robert Obi, Chairman of the Calabar unit of IPMAN gave the advise in a while reacting to the purported inauguration of a new chairman.
“Our attention has been drawn to the purported inauguration of one Mr. Peter Okim Abang, the Task Force chairman on Petroleum, as the “new” chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Calabar unit.
“The inauguration of Abang, who also served as One of the appointees of former Governor Ben Ayade, on Petroleum matters, held on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 with the Secretary to the State Government of Cross River State, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh, in attendance to give the event a semblance of official colouration, sprang a huge surprise to marketers of Calabar unit of IPMAN”, he said.
Comrade Obi disclosed that the association feels worried at the moves by some power-mongers to attempt to hijack IPMAN leadership even when they know that such actions are unacceptable and would be acting ultra vires the rule of law.
He explained that he became IPMAN Calabar unit chairman courtesy of an order of a court of competent jurisdiction and his erstwhile rival in crisis, Elder Edet Umana are at the verge of concluding a conciliation process for peace to return.
He said following governor Otu’s emergence, “the leadership of IPMAN under Comrade Robert Obi, with their counsel, served the new administration with a letter exhibiting all judgements covering the crisis.
“We expected government to critically examine such documents (judgements) as annexures in which Comrade Robert Obi remains the authentic chairman of IPMAN.
“This is in line with the Federal High Court ruling in Suit No. FHC/CA/FHR/95/2019 which declared Obi so and has been subsisting with no reversal by any appellate court.
“So, we expected the government to have been very cautious having read the warning notice. But that was not to be as the government have taken side with a new faction inaugurated yesterday, the 12th day of July , 2023, with the SSG in attendance.
“Let us re-state that it is not a faction that made comrade Robert Obi the Calabar unit chairman, rather it is a Court of competent jurisdiction that so declared him.
“It is therefore, disheartening that marketeers, who have enjoyed relative peace in the unit depot since the peace process commenced, woke up to hear and saw one Peter Abang, allegedly ‘recruited” by self-acclaimed factional President in the person of Chinedu Okoronkwo, who dosociated himself from the peace, to be proclaimed chairman, Calabar unit ,using a few disgruntled kinsmen in Calabar unit and non marketers.
“The Chinedu Okoronkwo-led factional President, who tried to use our members before now to frustrate Calabar unit, has failed, but has again resorted to using another group led by a government appointee in the person of Peter Abang, will still fail because we are now one indivisible body , courtesy of the just concluded peace process.
“We call on the state government led by Sen. Bassey Edet Otu, not to dabble into the affairs and leadership of IPMAN to forestall further crisis that could be inimical to the already- existing peace and tranquility in the Depot.
“We wonder the intentions of the government that is supposed to obey and promote the rule of law disobeying it and pitching tent with a newly created faction.
“And this is a wrong signal. Our expectations of a new government is for them to drive the rule of law and encourage or promote absolute peace in the state.
“Our Dear Governor should not be seen to be encouraging illegalities or be a party to something that could disintegrate our Association.
“We enjoin him to call his aides to order and should rather engage in activities and programmes that unite the state and not the ones that promote division amongst us”, IPMAN said.