By  Simon EBEGBULEM, Benin City
FUEL crisis is looming in Edo State following the protracted crisis rocking the Edo State chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

The crisis worsened yesterday, as the faction of the association led by Chief Lucky Ojo, described as unconstitutional the purported dissolution of the state Executive by the National leadership of the association and the subsequent setting up a caretaker committee to run the association.

The Chief Ojo led Executive insisted that the tenure of the present executive was yet to expire as enshrined in the constitution of IPMAN, therefore “the inauguration of the caretaker committee by one Chief Chinedu Okoronkwo is unconstitutional, null and void”.

It would be recalled that the in order to find a lasting solution to the protracted crisis rocking the association in the state, the National President of the association, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadiri, dissolved the Chief Ojo led association penultimate week and set up a caretaker committee that will run the affairs of the association until a substantive executive emerges after an election.

The decision was applauded by the former National Vice-Chairman of the IPMAN, Elder Agbokonkon Ogbeide and Chief Solomon Ogbewe and they urged the Ojo led executive to abide by the decision of the National leadership so as to solve the problem of distribution of petroleum product in Benin depot.

But countering the decision in a statement signed by the Midwest Zone Chairman of the IPMAN, Augustine Erhabor, it urged the public to disregard the decision reminding that “ there is a subsisting court injunction restraining these person from fomenting trouble among members of IPMAN and truncate the effective and smooth distribution of petroleum products within Edo state and other neighouring states.

“Members should also note that elections will be conducted as and when due where eligible voters will exercise their rights as IPMAN believes in democracy and not imposition of candidates” it stated.