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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Edo State chairman of the Independent Marketing Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Baba Saliu, has said the union would embark on strike action following the inability of the state government to prevail on the factional chairman, Mr Douglas Iyike, to accept him as the duly elected chairman.
Alhaji Saliu, who spoke in Benin, warned that the bad old days of scarcity of fuel may just be around the corner except the state government called Iyike to order.
He disclosed that the National Association of Transport Owners (NARTO) will also join the strike, disrupting the supply of petroleum products in the state.
He said that he wrote a petition to the state government over a month ago, calling for a thorough investigation of Mr Iyike’s activities but nothing has been done so far.
Left with no option, Alhaji Saliu said that the union will soon call out its members to embark on a strike action to drive home their point.
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Having been duly elected as chairman earlier at a meeting of the majority of the members, he said that he is the only person in league with other members of his executive council with a mandate to pilot the affairs of the union in the state.
“We wrote a petition last month to the state government demanding that Iyike be called to order but so far the government has not done anything. I was the former Vice-chairman to the late Mr Amadasun. Based on precedent, to be a chairman, you have to be a vice-chairman. I am the authentic chairman of Edo IPMAN,” he stated.
In a swift reaction, Iyike however insisted that he is the authentic chairman, stressing that the issue of chairmanship has since been laid to rest as he has the support of the national body.
He said that he is not a pretender but has the support of the members, adding that he is the only person who has the power to call a strike action should the need arise.
