A coalition of civil society groups yesterday vowed to resist and picket any filling stations that sell fuel above the government approved price.
They said that plans by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, ( IPMAN ) to increase the pump price of premium motor spirit to N700 per liter was unacceptable.
The coalition said the development remains a pure mischief and a sabotage at a time when Nigerians are grappling with the petrol “price shock”.
According to a statement issued by the Convener, Dr Basil Yelwa Musa and co-conveners, Malam Haruna Maigida, and Comrade Ayo Temi Adebayo IPMAN was running a parallel government outside a constitutionally recognized government.
The coalition stated that they would mobilized their members and other stakeholders across the 36 States of the Federation to embark on a protest, adding that the protest will target at shutting down filling stations nationwide, as Nigerians cannot afford to be railroaded into ignominy of life by IPMAN.
Some of member of the coalition includes ; Oil and Gas Transparency and Advocacy Group, Civil Society Coalition for Economic Development (CED), Centre for Citizens Rights, Centre for Good Governance Advocacy, Action Against Corruption in Nigeria among others.
They called on the government to call IPMAN to order, stressing that Nigerians are already watching and wallowing in difficulty over the recently adjusted fuel pump price with no palliative measures yet.
They insisted that the IPMAN has no statutory power to adjust fuel pump price, noting that any such move will be resisted at all cost, and “Nigerians would be mobilized to the streets across the federation.
They said, “As Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, we are monitoring events and the proposed fuel pump hike to N700 per litre by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN is unacceptable.
If the government derelicts in cautioning the IPMAN, we see it as a deliberate collusion to drive Nigerians into unmitigated difficulties and as CSOs, we will not sit and watch that happen. We will mobilise Nigerians to a street protest and that should be taken from us”.
“We watch the removal of fuel subsidy regime by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his inaugural address on May 29, 2023 and we take the dare consequences as part of sacrifice awaiting when government would have settled to come up with ameliorative measures for the citizens, but, IPMAN’s to adjust fuel pump price will stoke protests because it isn’t in the interest of Nigerians.
The Coalition argued that if the proposed increase in pump price is actualized, it would have amounted to over 451% above what Tinubu’s administration met, allaying fears of hyperinflation of the cost of goods across the nation”, The statement added.
They advised the marketers association to brace up for a change as sharp practices in the downstream sector can no longer be condoned.
