IPMAN Crises: Court Nullifies Chief Lawson Exco A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory yesterday nullified the emergence of Chief Obasi Lawson as the National President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN. Subsequently, the court declared Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo as the authentic national President of IPMAN. The judgment was given in a suit marked FCT/HC/CV/4141/2014, filed by Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo and 10 others against the Chief Obasi Lawson led national leadership of IPMAN. Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court Port Harcourt had in March nullified the appointment of the former National President of IPMAN Alhaji Aminu Abubakar, and subsequently declared Chief Lawson Obasi as the substantive National president. Apparently miffed by Justice Akanbis ruling, Elder Okoronkwo and his group filed a notice of appeal and motion on notice for stay of the Federal High Courts judgment. In view of this, Elder Okoronkwo approached the FCT High Court Abuja, via an originating summon and specifically sought for a restraining order, stopping Obasi from parading himself as the National President of IPMAN pending the determination of the appeal. Delivering judgment in the suit, the presiding judge, Justice Valentine Ashi, said with the pending appeal and notice of motion for stay, the 1st defendants hands are tied from performing and running the affairs of IPMAN as national president. Justice Ashi said the court was of the view that Obasi has violated the motion for stay, which requires a restorative or mandatory order to be made to correct the anomaly. Despite the motion for stay restraining the 1st defendant from assuming and discharging functions as national president of IPMAN, the 1st defendant has acted in breach of relevant laws as laid down by superior courts of records, the court noted. In consideration of these, this court has entered judgment in favour of the plaintiff (Okoronkwo). This suit has merit and succeeds accordingly the court ruled. The court said before May 10, there was a stalemate in the national leadership of IPMAN, and therefore stated that, the election of the plaintiff is valid and stands. Consequently, the court ordered that Chief Obasi, his agents, privies, associates etc are hereby restrained from parading themselves as national executives of IPMAN or doing anything that would impede the operation of the association. The trial judge also ordered that Chief Obasi should vacate office, adding that Chief Okoronkwo should have access to the national secretariat of IPMAN. The court also,warned Obasi to desist from taking any step aimed at jeopardizing the leadership of Okoronkwo nor conduct any election under IPMAN. Earlier, the court dismissed the preliminary objection of Chief Obasi insisting that the FCT High Court has jurisdiction to entertain the suit. Justice Ashi posited that the instant suit was not an abuse of court process because according to him, the parties, claims and reliefs sought in this suit are different from the one heard by Justice Akanbi of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt. However, the court said the objection only succeeded in part, and that is the striking out of the names of the 2nd and 3rd defendants from the suit.
Posted on: Wed, 28 May 2014 16:06:45 +0000
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