The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has directed its members nationwide to reduce petroleum pump price from N145 per litre to N140.
A statement signed by the National President of the association, Mr. Chinedu Okoronkwo on Sunday, said the directive is to take effect from February 20 to 25 and urged all marketers to comply.
The statement issued through the Chairman of Kano state chapter of the association, Bashir Dan-Malam, explained that the decision was as a result of the sudden postponement of presidential and National Assembly elections by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Recall that INEC had announced the postponement of the February 16 elections a few hours to the commencement of voting.
The statement read: “IPMAN was prompted to slash N5 from the N145 per litre official petroleum pump price in a bid to motivate Nigerians to return to vote again on Feb. 23.
“We urge all our members across Nigeria to immediately reduce the fuel pump price from N145 per litre to N140 per litre.
“This is because of the political situation that hit the country after INEC suddenly announced the postponement of presidential and National Assembly elections after Nigerians were fully prepared.
“We are all aware how Nigerians travelled to different parts of the country in order to exercise their civic duty; unfortunately, they heard the sad news of postponement of the polls.
READ ALSO: Postponement: Ad-hoc Staff Protest Non Payment of Allowance In Benue
“This made us deem it fit to reduce the pump price in order to ease their suffering, and to also motivate them to travel again to exercise their franchise on Feb. 23.”
Okoronkwo also said that the IPMAN’s decision was equally in response to President Muhammadu Buhari’s concern over the postponement.
“We decided to express our concern over the postponement, as President Buhari expressed concern over the development.
As Buhari apologised to Nigerians to show restraint and return to polling units on Feb. 23, IPMAN also calls on the citizens to exercise patience and come out en mass to cast their votes on the rescheduled date,” Okoronkwo said.
