IPMAN Zonal Leadership Reaffirms Obi as Cross River Chairman, Warns Against Factional Leadership

By Missang Akpet 

The Eastern Zonal Leadership of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has reaffirmed Comrade Robert Obi as the authentic Chairman of the association’s Cross River State branch, warning that any attempt to impose a factional leadership could trigger crisis in the state’s oil and gas sector.

The zonal leadership, led by the Eastern Zonal Chairman of IPMAN, Prince Bobby Dick, and the Port Harcourt Zonal Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), Comrade Joseph Okafor, stated this on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, during separate courtesy visits to security agencies in Cross River State.

The delegation, comprising critical stakeholders from IPMAN, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Independent Marketers Branch (IMB) of NUPENG in the Eastern Zone, visited the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 6, Rasheed Bello Afegbua; the Senior State Security Adviser, Major General Okoi Ubi Obono; and the Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue.

The visits were aimed at clarifying the leadership situation within IPMAN in Cross River and alerting security agencies to what the zonal leadership described as an alleged attempt by a faction led by Mr. Peter Okim to assume control of the association in the state.

Prince Dick said the zonal leadership was aware of moves by some individuals to impersonate IPMAN officials and create confusion among members in Calabar and across the state.

He said the delegation had come to formally put the record straight before security agencies and prevent alleged impostors from using the name of IPMAN to impose levies, interfere with members’ operations or disrupt activities at petroleum depots.

Dick described the recent inauguration allegedly conducted by the Peter Okim-led group as a “charade”, insisting that those involved lacked the authority to constitute a new leadership structure for IPMAN in Cross River.

According to him, there was a subsisting court judgement relating to the leadership dispute, which he said had dismissed a case instituted by one of the individuals involved and imposed a N5 million fine.

He maintained that neither Okim nor the person who purportedly inaugurated the new structure had the authority to act on behalf of IPMAN, warning that the zonal leadership would not allow any purported task force to harass tanker drivers or interfere with the movement of petroleum products.

Also speaking, the PTD Zonal Chairman, Port Harcourt Zone, Comrade Joseph Okafor, described the alleged attempt to install a new chairman as unacceptable, stressing that leadership positions within IPMAN could only be attained through the association’s established electoral processes.

Okafor, whose jurisdiction covers 12 states, including Cross River, said IPMAN had a constitution, bylaws and established checks and balances which must be respected by all members.

He questioned the basis for constituting a caretaker committee while the existing zonal executive remained in place, warning that the union would not allow any group to create tension or disrupt activities at petroleum depots in Cross River.

He appealed to the state government and security agencies to ensure that peace was maintained at the depots, stressing that petroleum products were hazardous and that any crisis within the facilities could have serious consequences.

“Just a call, the whole depot will shut down,” Okafor warned, urging the government to intervene promptly to prevent a breakdown of peace and ensure uninterrupted operations in the downstream sector.

Responding, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 6, Rasheed Bello Afegbua, acknowledged that another group had visited his office a few days earlier but noted that the delegation was significantly smaller than the team before him.

Afegbua said the size and composition of the visiting delegation, which included representatives of major stakeholders in the oil industry, had provided additional context to the leadership dispute.

“Honestly, if you people had not come, I would have been tempted to believe and accept those other people,” the AIG said, urging the zonal leadership to guide the security agencies in ensuring that the appropriate steps were taken.

He assured the delegation that the police would do the right thing and sought clarification on the authority of the competing group over the petroleum depots.

The AIG also asked the IPMAN leadership to keep the security agencies informed when the time came to conduct elections for a new executive committee.

Similarly, the Cross River State Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, described the visit by the IPMAN zonal leadership as timely, saying it would assist the police in protecting the members and their businesses.

Ordue urged the association’s leadership to maintain regular communication with the police command and advised the aggrieved parties to pursue legal remedies over allegations of impersonation and disobedience of court orders.

“We need peace in the state, and no business thrives where there is no peace,” the Commissioner said.

On his part, the Senior State Security Adviser to Governor Bassey Edet Otu, Major General Okoi Ubi Obono, said his office would only recognise and work with a duly elected and legitimate IPMAN executive.

Obono explained that for a new leadership to be recognised, his office would expect formal communication from the zonal or national leadership indicating that the tenure of the incumbent executive had expired and that fresh elections had been conducted.

He said no such communication had been received, adding that when the other group approached his office with a letter introducing an interim chairman, he rejected the arrangement because it did not conform to the established process.

The Senior State Security Adviser assured the visiting delegation of the government’s cooperation, stressing that Cross River remained a peaceful state and that all stakeholders had a responsibility to protect the prevailing peace.

He warned that any attempt to create a crisis in the oil sector could have far-reaching consequences for residents, businesses and the wider economy.

The visiting delegation comprised stakeholders from the Eastern Zonal branches of IPMAN, NUPENG, PTD and the Independent Marketers Branch, who urged security agencies and the state government to prevent any action capable of disrupting petroleum distribution and operations across Cross River State.