A coalition of civil society groups on Friday vowed to resist and picket filling stations that sell fuel above the government-approved price, saying that plans by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN) to increase the pump price of premium motor spirit to N700 per litre was unacceptable.
The coalition said the development was pure mischief and sabotage, even as Nigerians are still grappling with “price shock”, occasioned by the increment on May 29, 2023.
While reacting to the planned increment of fuel pump price from government-approved N448 per litre to N700, the coalition vowed to shut down any station found wanting and selling above the approved price.
In a statement issued by Dr Basil Yelwa Musa, Convener, Malam Haruna Maigida, Co-Convener, Comrade Ayo Temi Adebayo on behalf of the Coalition said IPMAN was running a parallel government outside a constitutionally recognised government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria headed by President Bola Tinubu.
The Coalition stated that they would mobilise their members and other stakeholders across the 36 states of the federation to embark on a protest, adding that the protest would target shutting down filling stations nationwide, as Nigerians could not afford to be railroaded into ignominy of life by the IPMAN.
Some of the groups included; the Oil and Gas Transparency and Advocacy Group, the Civil Society Coalition for Economic Development (CED), the Centre for Citizens Rights, the Centre for Good Governance Advocacy, the Action against Corruption in Nigeria and others 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 had no statutory power to adjust fuel pump price, noting that any such move would be resisted at all costs, and “Nigerians would be mobilised to the streets across the federation.
“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 statement added.
The coalition argued that if the proposed increase in pump price was actualised, 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.
According to them, IPMAN was largely behind the mystery litres of petrol consumption that suddenly dropped from 66 million per day to 40 million, after fuel subsidy was removed, while they advised the marketers association to brace up for a change as sharp practices in the downstream sector can no longer be condoned.