The City Boy Movement has appealed to aspirants, party leaders and supporters participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) National and State Assembly primary elections in Ekiti State to embrace peace and shun violence during the exercise.

In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Friday by the Director of Media and Communications of the movement, Alofe Ayodele Moses, the group urged all stakeholders to conduct themselves with restraint and maturity as the primaries commence.

The movement stressed the need to preserve the peaceful atmosphere currently being enjoyed in the state under the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, noting that no political ambition should lead to bloodshed or crisis within the party.

According to the statement, the APC was founded on the principles of justice and equity, expressing confidence in the party leadership to conduct a fair, transparent and credible primary election.

The group stated that democracy thrives on healthy competition rather than intimidation, violence or desperation, adding that all aspirants and their supporters should place the collective interest of the party above personal ambitions.

The City Boy Movement also urged contestants and their supporters to peacefully accept the outcome of the primaries and avoid actions capable of overheating the political atmosphere in the state.

It further called on security agencies and party officials to remain proactive and impartial in maintaining law and order before, during and after the exercise.

The statement added that temporary political differences should not be allowed to divide members of the party, stressing that all stakeholders remain part of the same progressive family despite the contest.

The movement wished all aspirants success in the primaries and expressed optimism that the exercise would strengthen the unity, stability and electoral fortunes of the APC in Ekiti State.

Abuja residents are paying more for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, as pump prices soared across several filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday.

Checks revealed that major outlets, including Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) retail stations, Empire, AA Rano, and Shema, adjusted their prices to between ₦905 and ₦945 per litre as of October 6, 2025.

At Empire Filling Station in Gwarimpa, petrol was sold at ₦945 per litre, the highest rate recorded, while MRS, Emedeb, Raniol, and Eterna stations dispensed the product between ₦885 and ₦910 per litre.

Reacting to the development, the President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Abubakar Maigandi, and the association’s spokesperson, Chinedu Ukadike, attributed the price hike to supply disruptions caused by the recent PENGASSAN strike.

Maigandi explained that IPMAN members sourcing petrol from Dangote Refinery were still selling between ₦885 and ₦895 per litre, assuring that prices would normalize once the panic buying subsides.

“The feud between Dangote and PENGASSAN might have triggered artificial scarcity. I can assure you the price will drop in the coming days,” Maigandi said.

Ukadike also noted that the strike had led to temporary scarcity in Lagos and Abuja, but expressed optimism that fuel availability would soon stabilize.

Depot prices have reportedly risen slightly to ₦844 per litre at Dangote Refinery, ₦845 at Raniol and Aiteo, and ₦850 at NIPCO depots in Lagos.

The development follows the recent resolution of a dispute between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), which resulted in a two-day strike over the alleged mass sacking of Nigerian workers.

Following the Federal Government’s intervention, the strike was suspended, and Dangote Refinery publicly commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others for their roles in ending the industrial action.

Meanwhile, at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES31) held on Monday, Vice President Kashim Shettima criticized PENGASSAN, saying the country is “bigger than any union.”

In response, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo countered, stating that “the country is also bigger than Dangote Refinery and the presidency.”

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s planned 5% tax on petroleum products, warning that the policy will worsen hardship, cripple businesses, and deepen poverty across the country.

In a statement on Monday, signed by its President, Festus Osifo, and Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, the union described the levy as “economic wickedness” against already struggling Nigerians.

The TUC said workers and citizens are still grappling with the impact of subsidy removal, rising fuel prices, food inflation, and a weakening naira, stressing that the new tax would further compound suffering.

It warned that failure to withdraw the policy could trigger a nationwide strike, directing its state councils and affiliates to remain on alert for possible action.

“The TUC hereby urges the Federal Government to halt this anti-people policy immediately. If the government goes ahead, we will have no choice but to mobilise Nigerian workers and the masses for a total nationwide resistance. Strike action is firmly on the table,” the union stated.

The Congress also urged civil society groups, professional bodies, student unions, market associations, and religious leaders to join in rejecting the tax.

The Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu, recently signed into law a 5% surcharge on petrol and diesel sales under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act. The levy applies to locally refined and imported fossil fuel products but exempts renewables, household kerosene, cooking gas, and compressed natural gas (CNG).