The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has directed its members to reduce petroleum pump price from N145 to N140 to motivate voters and cushion effect of election postponement.
The directive was announced to journalists on Sunday by national president of the association, Chinedu Okoronkwo.
Mr Okworonkwo said implementation of the directive is effective from Wednesday, February 20.
READ ALSO: Coalition of Lawyers says Buhari planning to decimate judiciary
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 traveled to different places across the country in order to cast their votes, but to their dismay, the elections were shifted.
He noted that IPMAN was prompted to slash N5 from the N145 official petroleum pump price in a bid to motivate Nigerians to return to vote again on February 23.
“We urged all our members across Nigeria to immediately reduce the price of petroleum pump price from N145 to N140.
“This is because of the political situation in the country, following INEC’s sudden postponement of presidential and National Assembly elections after Nigerians were fully prepared.
“We are all aware how Nigerians traveled to different destinations across the country in order to exercise their civic duty, unfortunately, they heard a sad news of postponement of the polls.
“We consider this situation to reduce the pump price in order to ease their suffering, and to also motivate them to travel again to exercise their franchise on February 23,” said Mr Okworonkwo
The president therefore urged his members nationwide to immediately implement the directive.
Mr Okworonkwo also said IPMAN’s decision to reduce the petroleum pump price 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 February 23, IPMAN therefore called on the citizens to exercise patience and come out en mass to cast their votes on the rescheduled date,” Mr Okworonkwo added.
