The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has rejected the appointment of Adoke Agbadu as the new chairman of the association, describing the process as flawed and lacking transparency. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Egbeola Wale Martins, IPAC declared the decision null and void, insisting that Agbadu was not elected through due process. The group warned that the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) risks undermining its credibility if it recognises the new leadership. IPAC maintained that the legitimate chairman remains Bello Garba, who was democratically elected in November 2023. The association accused PPPRA of interference in internal affairs and called on the agency to reverse its recognition of Agbadu or face legal and institutional consequences. The controversy emerged after PPPRA endorsed Agbadu's emergence, sparking internal division within the union.
PPPRA's endorsement of a disputed IPMAN chairman exposes its appetite for picking winners in union affairs. By backing Adoke Agbadu over Bello Garba, a chairman elected in 2023, the agency signals that compliance matters more than process. This sets a precedent where regulatory approval can override democratic internal elections. For fuel marketers, it means leadership stability now depends more on Abuja's favour than members' votes.
