IPMAN factions bicker over fuel price

Factions within the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN) have continued to bicker over present pump price of fuel in the country.

Recall that a statement by IPMAN chairman at Ore Depot, Shina Amoo had threatened to increase pump price of petrol if depot owners continued to sell the product to them for between N136.50 and N137 per litre.

But speaking at a news conference in the state, the Kano IPMAN chair, Alhaji Bashir Dan-Malam, urged Nigerians to dismiss the threat.

Dan-Mallam insists that the association has no moral justification to sell petrol above the N145 per litre as there was adequate petrol supply in all the 21 depots across the country.

“IPMAN will not sell the fuel above the government’s approved price because there are availability of the product at all the 21 government depots in the country.

“So, I am calling on all marketers to go to these depots and buy the commodity but any marketer who goes to private depots is doing so on his own volition.

“All the 21 depots are selling the product to marketers at the approved price of N133.28 but private depot owners are selling theirs at between N136.05 and N137 per litre.

“So, marketers have the right to either buy from government depots or from the private depot owners at a higher rate, “he said.

Dan-Malam, who called on the chairman of Ore depot to withdraw the threat, urged the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to sanction any depot owners who increase the price of petrol.

He called on his members and Nigerians at large to ignore the threat made by the chairman, IPMAN Ore depot, saying that such a threat would not make any impact.

“As I am talking to you now, the Managing Director of PPMC, Umar I. Ajiya, has dispatched a committee to the depot to find out reasons behind the purported increase,” he said.