Ben Dunno, Warri
Concerned stakeholders in Delta Oil and Gas sector, have decried prolonged delay in conduct of election for new executives of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Warri Refinery Depot, describing it as gross violation of democratic values for any registered Association as enshrined in the constitution.
Rising from an emergency meeting held at Ozoro, Isoko North Council area, weekend, the group dismissed claim in some quarters that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, ordered the delay, noting that a democratically elected governor would not have disrupted an association democratic process.
Reacting under the auspices of Delta Oil and Gas Security Monitoring Group (DOGSMG) the stakeholders frowned at any attempt by an individual or group to impose candidates on IPMAN members, stating that such impositions are usually counter productive, as it tends to promote bad blood and violence among members.
DOGSMG in a statement signed by Chief Frank Akpodiete and Hon. Chinedu Ezeonyeka, its Coordinator and Secretary respectively, has therefore urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, to clear his name in the whole drama that has led to the prolonged delay in the IPMAN election by dissociating himself from it and ensuring that due process of democracy was duly followed.
The statement read in part; “After an extensive deliberation today, major Stakeholders, comprising of retired and active oil and gas sector players, including past IPMAN Executives in Delta state, expressed concerns over unjustifiable delay in conduct of IPMAN election that was slated earlier this year and viewed such delay as gross violation of law establishing the body like any other association in Nigeria”.
“In the course of our investigations on the cause of delay, we were made to understand that Delta state Governor, Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, gave the order to keep the election on hold because of his interest in the Association”.
“However, we do not want to subscribe to this wide spread speculations based on our convictions that a democratically elected Governor would not want to deny an association freedom to elect its executives in a free and fair contest”.
“We want to make it abundantly clear that imposition of candidates on IPMAN members by any individual or group of persons is unacceptable in the interest of peace, justice and fairness to all concern because experience had shown that such action is usually counterproductive as it breeds bad blood and violence in members”.
“We are therefore using this medium to appeal to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to clear his name in the drama that had kept IPMAN from conducting its election by openly denying it and direct that the election be held in a shortest possible time so that the Association can move on”.
“IPMAN over the years had enjoyed reasonable peace among its members and the only way this can be sustained is to allow for a credible election where it’s members would be free to elect the executives that would pilot its affairs in the next three (3) years “, it concluded.