Fuel Scarcity Hits Ekiti Over Suit Against Marketers

John Abiodun, Ado Ekiti 

Fuel scarcity crept into Ekiti State on Tuesday as stakeholders in petroleum distribution stopped haulage of petrol products into the state.

Majority of petrol stations in the capital city and others were shut to customers on Tuesday while long queues were the order of the day at the few stations selling fuel.

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) hinged their action on their anger over a court case instituted against two of the unions by Governor Ayo Fayose.

A source said the governor, in the suit, accused IPMAN and NUPENG of “economic sabotage” in a stand-off with oil marketers in March.

Even though the case was reportedly withdrawn last Friday, the national unions of the three bodies are enraged that government could take such an action after a peace meeting.

Marketers are angry that the governor took the action after the intervention of Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN) following strike in protest against demolition of some filling stations.

Consequently, the stakeholders have stopped movement of trucks into the State with a proviso that any marketer who smuggles the commodity to Ekiti will be slammed with a six-month suspension and a fine of N1.2 million.

A marketer who pleaded anonymity, said: “After the visit of PEDAN in Southwest, the governor said everything has been resolved and settled but we were shocked that he (Fayose) took IPMAN and NUPENG to court accusing them of economic sabotage.

“After that, more filling stations were destroyed along Pathfinder in Ado and in Igede with the owner of the Igede filling station charged to court and remanded alongside six of his kinsmen by government.

“These unions are aggrieved that all their peace efforts have failed and they are disappointed with some extreme actions taken by the governor after the parley.

“What is happening in Ekiti now is beyond the local marketers; the national unions have ordered the suspension of fuel supply to the state,” the marketer said.