The South West Chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has appealed to members to abide by the presidential directive to reduce the pump price of petroleum product from N145 per litre to N140 as part of the association’s contribution towards encouraging voters to participate in the election processes.
HRH Obafemi Ogbaro, the Caretaker Chairman of IPMAN Western Zone made the appeal in a statement issued on Monday, February 18, 2019 after the chapter’s executives meeting in Lagos.
According to Ogbaro, “My attention has been drawn to a purported press statement credited to a marketer in Mosinmi depot who was a former vice chairman of IPMAN western zone denouncing the directive of our IPMAN National President Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo to our patriotic members to sell petrol to the general public at N140 per litre.
He said that the association took the decision to ameliorate the suffering of the masses because of the rescheduled elections, adding that IPMAN members as a responsible association felt the pains Nigerians suffered for travelling to their various destinations to perform their civic duties of voting the candidate of their choice in the Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly elections which was rescheduled to 23rd Feb 2019 and 9th March 2019 respectively.
The Chairman said that IPMAN shares in the pains of Nigerians hence our subtle sacrifice in this trying period of the government and Nigerians; this made the association to agree for the reduction of N5 per litre.
“This will eat into our members profit but we have to give back to the society as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility.
The reduction in price will commence from Wednesday 20th of February 2019 to 11th March 2019.
“IPMAN western zone caretaker chairman hereby enjoined IPMAN members nationwide to abide by the president directive,’’ he said.
It would be recalled that the national president of IPMAN, Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo on February 17 directed its members nationwide to reduce petroleum pump price from N145 per litre to N140.
This was announced in a statement signed by the National President of the association, and issued through the Chairman, IPMAN Kano state chapter, Alhaji Bashir Dan-Malam.
Okoronkwo said the marketers were expected to comply with the directive from Feb. 20 to Feb. 25.
He said the decision followed the Saturday’s last-minute postponement of presidential and National Assembly elections by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, Nigerians travelled to different places across the country to cast their votes, but to their dismay, the election was shifted to Feb. 23.
“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 a sad news of postponement of the polls,” Okoronkwo said.
He said, “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.”
He, therefore, urged his members nationwide to immediately comply with the directive to enable Nigerians to travel to exercise their civic responsibility.
Okoronkwo maintained that the IPMAN’s decision followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s concern over the election 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 call on the citizens to exercise patience and come out en mass to cast their votes on the rescheduled date,” Okoronkwo said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of IPMAN in Kano state, North West Zonal chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dan-Malam and Bashir Salisu-Tahir have urged their members to ensure strict compliance with the directive.
