NUPENG's Interference in IPMAN's Infighting Triggers New Fuel Supply Crisis

IPMAN President, Aminu Abdulkadir
The lingering internal leadership crisis rocking the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) may further worsen the existing challenges in fuel supply and distribution across the country.

It was gathered Sunday in Abuja that the scarcity of petrol which was gradually easing off in

the capital city may be back again in the coming weeks following plans by the factional IPMAN led by its  President, Aminu Abdulkadir, to shut down its over 10,000 petrol stations nationwide in protest of the alleged intrusion of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in the leadership tussle within IPMAN.

The shutdown order which Abdulkadir had issued, is also in protest of NUPENG’s interference with the operations of the commercial arm of IPMAN, NIPCO Plc.
NUPENG was said to have closed down the operations of NIPCO Plc last week due to the ongoing leadership tussle in IPMAN.

The leadership crisis emanated from a Port Harcourt High Court judgment which asked Abdulkadir to vacate the association’s presidency for its former National Deputy President, Obasi Lawson, who now claims the presidency of IPMAN.

Lawson’s claims are however challenged by Abdulkadir who had overtime stated that IPMAN still remained indivisible.

Speaking through his special adviser on media, Ezekwesili Maduagwuna, Abdulkadir stated that the involvement of NUPENG in the operations of NIPCO Plc was unlawful and against best practices in the oil and gas industry.

He explained that there was nothing linking the ongoing leadership tussle in IPMAN with the operations of NIPCO, adding that NIPCO had nothing to do with the politics in IPMAN.

Maduagwuna stated that NUPENG had gone beyond its recognised boundaries and that the tenure of Abdulkadir's was recognised by all the 36 state chapters of the association which finds it difficult to consider Lawson’s emergence as the president of IPMAN through the court.

“Nothing comes from nothing, except the leadership of NUPENG are taking side on the issue, there is no reason to shut down NIPCO Plc, when they are fully aware that NIPCO Plc is not an IPMAN investment alone.

“What NUPENG is doing will further push the nation into a serious fuel scarcity which the country has never witnessed in the recent past, because all the 36 state chapters of the association have been directed to close down their operations this week, if NUPENG fails to change its stand on the issue,” Maduagwuna stated.

He equally called on the federal government and its relevant agencies to ask the leadership of NUPENG to desist from interfering in the operation of NIPCO Plc, adding: “Otherwise the consequences will be felt soon.”

Maduagwuna maintained that the Abdulkadir-led IPMAN had remained law abiding and committed to the smooth operations of the downstream sector in the country but that NUPENG was about to push it to the wall.

NIPCO Plc was formerly known as IPMAN Petroleum Marketing Company Limited (IPMCL) and it was incorporated by members of IPMAN on January 8, 2001 as a private limited liability company to participate in the distribution of petroleum products across the country.