The new National President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Sanusi Fari, has written to President Mohammadu Buhari informing him that the lingering leadership tussle in the association has come to end following a peaceful handing over to him by Chief Obasi Lawson.
A statement made available to Transport Day, shows that there was a peaceful transition of power in accordance with the constitution of the Association, that at end if a tenure, the vice president take over from the outgoing president and that power rotates between the North and South.
It would be recalled that there has been power tussle over the rightful leadership of IPMAN which has lingered over time and had hampered smooth distribution of petroleum products in the downstream sector of the economy.
However, in a letter dated 14th December, 2018, a copy of which was made available to Transport Day, Fari, told the President that, the handover followed a the Supreme Court judgement in suit no. SC/15/2018 which impliedly affirmed the judgement delivered by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt in suit no. FHC/PH/CS/12/2014, on the 20th of March, 2014.
According to him, “I write to inform you that I have assumed office in line with Article IV of the said constitution after a peaceful handover from Chief Obasi Lawson. am looking forward to a successful tenure and promise to contribute to the well-being of all Nigerians in line the cardinal principles of the federal government of Nigeria under your leadership by ensuring free flow and distribution of petroleum products in the country”.
Earlier, in his inaugural speech, Fari, said “there is no denying the fact that the last four and half years have been a dark period in the annals of IPMAN. We will work to banish the problem of fuel scarcity from our country” he said. With Fari as the new President of IPMAN, chief Obasi Lawson is now Chairman BoT, the statement added.
