IPMAN Factional President Alleges IG Collaboration in His Removal

Peter Uzoho

The factional National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Sanusi Abdu Fari, has decried his alleged ejection from office by a member of the association and his faction, Mr. Chinedu Okoronkwo.

He alleged that the act was carried out with strong connivance of the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Usman Alkali Baba.

Fari, in a petition to the IG, lamented the illegal occupation of the IPMAN National Secretariat located in Asokoro, Abuja by a factional president who dislodged him from the office.

He maintained that the emergence of Okoronkwo was a clear violation of the association’s Constitution, which he said, prescribes rotation of presidency between the North and South.

He argued in the petition that by virtue of Article IV of the Revised Constitution of IPMAN, approved by the National Executive Committee and adopted at the Annual General Meeting of the Association held on June 14,1997 at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, he automatically becomes the National Chairman after the three year tenure of Obasi Lawson.

The petition dated July 9, 2021, was titled: “Miscarriage of Justice by the Inspector General of Police against the Leadership of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria.”

He said the action was against a further pronouncement of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar in the suit decided by Honourable Justice Amobeda on February 21, 2019, which he said, interpreted the Supreme Court judgment in his favour in accordance with IPMAN’s 1997 constitution and settled the leadership crisis in his favour.

The IPMAN president further recalled that after the ruling of the nation apex court, all government agencies, private sector and security agencies were notified and had since accorded him recognition.

He further noted in the petition that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abuabakar Malami, had congratulated him as the President.

Fari, however, said he was surprised that policemen, that he alleged were working on superior order, stormed the association’s national secretariat to eject his leadership, despite earlier legal advices given by the office of the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which he said, interpreted the rulings of the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court, Calabar in his favour.

While expressing concern over the support for the Okoronkwo faction despite court rulings, Fari appealed to the IG to use his good offices to ensure that the miscarriage of Justice was not sustained.