The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has backed the new centralisation policy of online products by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC).
IPMAN in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Yakubu Suleiman on Tuesday in Lagos also okayed the renewal of bulk purchase agreements between the marketers and the companies.
Suleiman said the clarification was necessitated by a complaint made by a group purporting to be speaking for IPMAN over the issues.
According to him, IPMAN has no faction because the issue has been settled by a Supreme Court judgment delivered in Abuja on Dec. 14, 2018.
He said the judgment read by Justice Musa Muhammad in suit No. SC15/2015 recognised Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo as the authentic president of IPMAN.
“IPMAN as a body supports reforms and policies that will ensure transparency, availability and smooth delivery of petroleum products being initiated by government through its agencies.
“We believe that the new centralisation policy for online products and the renewal of bulk purchase agreements with NNPC and PPMC are needed at this point in time.
“There is no other group recognised by law to speak on behalf of independent marketers except IPMAN and we urge the authorities to disregard any complaints coming from such quarters,’’ he said.
Suleiman said IPMAN would continue to support efforts of the government and other stakeholders in the industry to ensure that Nigerians continued to enjoy undisrupted supply of petroleum products across the country. (NAN)
