By Mohammad Ibrahim
Kaduna (Nigeria) — Federal High Court in Kaduna has barred faction members of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) from parading themselves as leaders of the association.
The court further ordered that the caretaker committee, which was in place before the conduct of both elections should be maintained pending return date of the matter, which is November 15, 2017, for hearing of the motion on notice.
Justice Emeka Nwite handed out the order in a document dated October 27, 2017.
In the suit filed between Registered Trustees of IPMAN, Alhaji Abdulfatah Murtala and Alhaji Musa Sani as first second and third plaintiffs respectively, and 15 others as defendants, who held parallel elections at two different locations within Kaduna metropolis, with no FHC/KD/CS/98/2017, an Order of interim injunction restraining the defendants was handed out.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st to 6th defendants and 7th to 12th defendants, their agents, privies or assigned or anyone else by whatever name called from parading themselves as members of the executive committee of the 1st plaintiff, Kaduna Depot sequel to the alleged elections conducted on the 21st October, 2017 at two different venues pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed,” the document stated.
According to the document, the defendants are Alhaji Bala Usman, Himshat Petroleum Ltd, Mr. Solomon Ehizogie, Aharon Petroleum Ltd, Alhaji Bello Mohammed and Belsham Oil Nigeria Ltd as first six defendants.
The second six defendants are Alhaji Musa Garba Marks, Almusbah Nigeria Ltd, Engineer Hannafi Aminu, Concept Nigeria Ltd, Chief Benjamin Onale and Edi-Jen Nigeria Ltd.
Defendants 13 to 15 are The Nigerian Police, The Inspector General of Police and The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police.
Meanwhile, counsels of the second and third plaintiffs, Mamman Nasir & Co has written a letter to the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai to inform him on the importance of the restraining order.
“Sir, it is because of security concerns and to avoid a situation where two separate groups of persons will be parading themselves along with our clients as supposed leaders or EXCOs of our Clients Association that had given birth and necessitated the urgent need to bring you up to date with the happenings in our clients association,” the letter, dated October 30, 2017 stated.
The letter explained that on 21st October 2017, two factions of IPMAN held elections at two different venues in Kaduna, thereby contravening the association’s 1977 Constitution.
It explained that as a result of the two different elections, the association in Kaduna by implication, has three sets of leadership.
“These unfortunate developments prompted our clients who are law abiding citizens and to prevent any breakdown of law and order, and to curtail the security challenge that was fast brewing as a result of the incidents stated above decided to file an appropriate suit at the Federal High Court, Kaduna Division in suit no. FHC/KD/CS/98/2017,” it said.
