5th October 2019
Nigerians resident in and indigenous to Cross River and Akwa Ibom states have been advised to disregard any threat suggesting that there is the likelihood of an impending fuel scarcity in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states NEGROIDHAVEN can say authoritatively.
Allaying this fear has become necessary especially seeing the threat made by a so-called forum of stakeholders in the Indepedent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Calabar Depot.
Comrade Joseph Akan the spokesperson of the stakeholders forum according to news reports early this week alleged that despite having resolved their internal issues through an intervention by the national leadership of IPMAN with the state government being present, some security personnel attached to the Office of the Inspector General of Police in Abuja have incessantly harassed its leadership recently. It is premised on this that they will be embarking on shutting supply of petroleum products to the affected states.
However, the Elder Edet Clement Umana-led faction of IPMAN in the state which is the authentic leadership faction recognised by the Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo national leadership has tasked Nigerians in the affected states to utterly disregard any of such threats as anything serious. He has advised the public to proceed with their normal businesses being assured of constant supply of petroleum products by his organisation.
According to Umana, IPMAN is not embarking on any such industrial action. He added that there is no decision by the police to arrest any official of IPMAN in the state, he agreed that IPMAN had resolved all her internal issues amongst themselves with the national leadership intervening. According to him, if the police is trailing Comrade Robert Obi, he should go and resolve his problems as a law abiding citizen if he so is. That the authentic leadership of IPMAN in the state is that recognised by Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo who was in turn acknowledged by a recent supreme Court judgement.
Umana’s words, ‘contrary to unfounded threats from the Robert Obi faction of IPMAN, permit me to use this opportunity to allay fears of any suspected looming industrial action suggesting that IPMAN would soon embark on shutting supplies of petroleum products to Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. There is no such disposition.
‘As the authentic leadership of the Indepedent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Calabar Depot recognised by Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo, let me state categorically that my organisation is not under any form of security watch by security personnel from the office of the IG of Police. If anyone in IPMAN is trailed by the police, it is a personal matter, not one to drag IPMAN into and even threaten a shut down. As law abiding members of the society, we should quietly resolve our issues civilly.
‘For the umpteenth time, it should be stated that IPMAN in the state is not planning any industrial action as we had resolved our internal crisis with the intervention of the national leadership and the state government.
‘Besides, my leadership is endorsed by other well-meaning oil related organisations in the country like NUPENG.’
Uwana disclosed that because of the cordial relationship between his faction and the NNPC, they still receive supplies. In fact, it is premised on this that supply will be sustained. The other faction according to him does not enjoy this relationship and thus privilege.
