The crises rocking the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN) seems not to be over yet as the association has raised the alarm over the illegal occupation of its National Secretariat located in Asokoro, Abuja, by a factional President.
In a petition to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, National President of IPMAN, Sanusi Abdu Fari, said he was ejected by a member of the Association and his faction, Chinedu Okoronkwo.
Fari, however, accused the Police of complicity in his dislodgement from office by the factional President.
The IPMAN National President in his petition to the IGP maintained that the emergence of Okoronkwo was a clear violation of the Association Constitution which prescribes rotation of Presidency between the North and South.
He disclosed 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 and addressed to the IGP titled, “Miscarriage of Justice by the Inspector General of Police against the leadership of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria,” Fari said his forceful removal from the association national secretariat with the alleged complicity of the IGP was a clear violation of the Association Constitution and the Supreme Court ruling of December 14, 2018 and a further pronouncement of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar in the suit decided by Honourable Justice Amobeda on 21st February, 2019 which 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 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 Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abuabakar Malami (SAN), congratulated Sanusi Abdu Fari as ,the President.
Fari, however, said he was surprised that policemen apparently working on superior order stormed the association national secretariat to eject his leadership, despite earlier legal advice given by the office of the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which 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 IGP to use his good offices to ensure that the miscarriage of Justice is not sustained.
The petition read in part:”It is pertinent at this stage to state that even the office of the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have referred the Supreme Court Judgment and its interpretation by the Federal High Court, Calabar, to their Legal Departments and the Legal Advice from both institution is that it is the National Executive led by Sanusi Abdu Fari that is the legitimate Executive to lead IPMAN and also to occupy their Headquarters at No. 41, Gnassingbe Eyadema Street, Asokoro, Abuja not Elder Okoronkwo.
Based on the legal Position, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali, gave directive that the FCT Commissioner of Police should open the office to Engr. Sanusi Abdu Fari. The Commissioner of Police, FCT carried out the order. Surprisingly, four days later, Policemen came to the office to eject Engr. Sanusi Fari for unknown reasons.’’
