By Festus Ahon

ASABA—DELTA  State Government has denied any involvement in the postponement of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, election earlier scheduled for December 1, 2017.

Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Peter Mrakpor, who spoke to newsmen in Asaba, said the state Security Council after its meeting, decided that the election be put on hold after a party pulled out of the exercise while the other went to Court.

He said: “Delta State Government does not have any preferred candidate. The government is not conducting an election or has it any plan to conduct the election. Government’s role, based on IPMAN’s appeal, is to assist to create an enabling environment and that is the position of government. The Security Council met and said the best option is to put the election on hold pending when the matters in Court are resolved. It is not safe to have an election in an atmosphere of acrimony.

“On November 20, 2017, Delta State Security Council met with the two factions of IPMAN, Warri Depot and it was agreed that government should assist by creating an enabling environment for IPMAN to have an election which was fixed for December 1st 2017.”