IPMAN Warri urges national body to ‘correct illegal composition of management team’

Stakeholders of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Warri depot unit, have called on the national body to “correct” the “illegal” composition of a management team to pilot the affairs of the association.

Rejecting the team in a statement Wednesday, the stakeholders under the aegis of Delta Oil and Gas Security Monitoring Group (DOGSMG), described the composition as a gross violation of IPMAN’s constitution and abuse of mandate by the electoral body. 

The electoral umpire had opted for the appointment of a 30-man management team, rather than an election on the grounds of pending legal matters at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association held at the Government House Annex, Edjeba-Warri, Delta State.

DOGSMG, in the statement signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Chief Frank Akpodiete and Chinedu Ezeonyeka, queried the rationale behind the decision.

It called on IPMAN national body to live up to its responsibility by correcting the mistakes made by the 2023 Delta IPMAN Electoral Committee, in order to protect the sanctity of its constitution and respect for its democratic norms and values.

The statement said: “Having stuck our neck out against some forces on different occasions to challenge the prolonged delay in the conduct of Delta IPMAN election, we members of the above mentioned body wish to express our displeasure about the decision of Delta IPMAN electoral body to jeopardise a democratic process for an unconstitutional management team.

“While we reject the decision to impose an illegal team hurriedly put together to deny the members who came out in large numbers to vote for their choice candidates to pilot their affairs, we call on IPMAN national body to correct this abnormality carried out by few individuals for selfish interest, against its constitutional guidelines and provisions.

“This appeal has become imperative, considering the fact that if this illegibility is allowed to stand, it may serve as a wrong precedent in future and this is capable of eroding the integrity and supremacy of the constitution of IPMAN as a respectable and responsible association in the downstream sector of the economy”.

The group described the excuse by the electoral umpire to jettison the conduct of election for a management team based on restraining court orders received, as an afterthought, insisting that the agenda to impose an unpopular candidate had been plotted long ago by powerful forces within and outside IPMAN.

“Even if the electoral body had wanted to constitute a body, it would have been a caretaker committee and it is usually not more than five to seven members and not this over-blotted and unconstitutional management team.

“Furthermore, as stakeholders in the peaceful operation at the downstream sector of the economy in the state, we also want to use this medium to appeal to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori not to meddle in the electoral process of IPMAN in the state,” it said. 

It noted that the body was not a political, religious or ethnic group that could cause any harm to his political ambition in the 2027 general election, but would rather work with him to build a strong Delta, based on his MORE agenda.

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