By Simon EBEGBULEM, Benin City
THE factional crisis rocking the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), worsened yesterday as the Victor Ighile led group described as unconstitutional the purported dissolution of the newly elected executive of IPMAN in the state and the subsequent appointment of a caretaker committee by the national executive.

It would be recalled that the Benin IPMAN depot had last week Wednesday, sworn in a fifteen- member executive after its annual general meeting. But in a statement signed by one Comrade Douglas Osagie last week, it described the inauguration of the executive as illegal, insisting that it had been dissolved by the National leadership of the IPMAN.

However, the new State chairman of the IPMAN, Dr Ighile said Comrade Osagie lacks the locus standi to speak for the association, asserting that the “ purported dissolution of Chief Lucky Ojo led IPMAN executive presided  over by one Chief Ogbeiwi and one Chief Chinedu Okoronkwo who mischievously posed as the national chairman at the congress was not a national officer of the Association. We have a national executive led by Alhaji Felende Mohammed, only and he alone has the constitutional right to dissolve an exco “.

Ighile further urged members of the Association to disregard what he described as the illegal catertaker committee chairman’s claims, adding that “ I will not only ensure that harmonious relationship exist in the union but my tenure will witness a smooth and even distribution of petroleum products in and outside the State”.  Meanwhile, the Benin NNPC Depot has commenced lifting of petroleum products.