Fayose threatens to revoke petrol stations’ C of O over strike

• APC accuses governor of economic sabotage
Governor Ayodele Fayose has threatened to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy (C of 0) of petrol stations if they don’t sell fuel within 24 hours.

This followed the protest against petroleum marketers in the state, which yesterday paralised business and commercial activities in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

The protesters accused the marketers of being used by the opposition parties against the governor.

Also, the Amalgamated Drivers Union has given the marketers 24 hours to suspend their strike or face the wrath of the people.

Fuel marketers had since Monday stopped selling fuel to motorists, as directed by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD).

The marketers had embarked on an indefinite strike over what they described as the governor’s open victimisation of their members.

The drivers and artisans, who marched from Fajuyi area to the old garage, claimed that they were the worst hit by the
station’s closure.

The drivers were led by the Chairmen of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (APC), Clement Adekola and his counterpart in Lorry and Pick-up Transport Association of Nigeria, Adekunle Atowoju.

According to them, the only way to sustain the peace in the state is for everyone to work with the government of the day. The oil marketer should dialogue with government and other unions for a speedy resolution of the crisis.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has accused Fayose of plotting a national crisis to slow down President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to stimulate the economy.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, accused the governor of a systemic and sustained action to slow down the APC-led administration.

He said: “Yesterday demolition and vandalisation of petrol stations, including the mini marts belonging to the opposition figures, was Fayose’s way of instigating a national crisis to cripple the economy.