I Remain CIPMN President – Okoronkwo

The leadership battle in the Chattered Institute of Projects Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) is yet to be over, as the pioneer president and chairman governing council of the institute, Dr. Victoria Okoronkwo, has insisted that she remains president of the institute.

Confusion and tension started in the institute after the erstwhile vice president, Dr. Jamilu Yankwashi, was alleged to have conspired with some aggrieved members to take over the leadership of the institute’s board chairmanship. 

It was also gathered that while the institute was working to deepen its recognition by government and private sector players, some of its members were piloting to destabilise it for their selfish reasons.

Trouble ensued in Abuja when some of the members led by Dr. Jamilu Yankwashi organised an election that has been confirmed to be illegal and enthroned himself as president and chairman of the Governing Council of the institute. 

After the purported election, the substantive president and chairman of the governing council, Dr. Victoria Okoronkwo, said at a press conference that Yankwashi and his cohorts were contemptuous of a court judgment. 

While Yankwashi said the election was a consensus of members, Okoronkwo in a press briefing in Abuja insisted that the election was null and void.

She noted that less than 30 members cannot override the decision of the court and that of over 500 members, saying she had already appealed the court judgment and obtained a stay of execution.

Okoronkwo also revealed that while the court judgment directed that the parties should maintain the status quo, the results of the purported elections remain invalid. 

“I am still the president and chairman governing council of the Institute, whatever they have done is null and void,” Okoronkwo said.