Amidst NNPC’s denial on trending rumour of an increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called petrol., the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the President Muhammadu Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) “to perish any contemplation of increasing pump price of fuel from the already excruciating N145 per liter.”
NNPC, in a statement by its spokesperson,
Ndu Ughamadu, advised motorists and other petroleum products consumers to disregard the rumour, explaining that what the NNPC Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, stated during his engagement with Senate President Ahmad Lawan, at the National Assembly was that the price of petrol was abysmally low in Nigeria compared to what obtained in neighbouring West African countries.
The statement added that the position expressly made by Kyari did not suggest any plan to increase the price of the product, but an observation over the huge disparity in the pump price of petrol between Nigeria on one hand and her neighbouring country on the other hand, which tended to encourage cross-border leakages.
He advised Nigerians from all walks of life to disregard the insinuation of a plan hike in the price of petrol by NNPC, saying statutorily, NNPC was not even in a position to regulate the price of petroleum products, advising that NNPC role as an operator must be differentiated from that of any of the industry regulators.
The NNPC spokesperson reaffirmed that as directed by relevant agencies of the government, the pump price of petrol remains N145 per litre, warning petroleum products marketers not to sell petrol above N145 per litre following the disclaimed rumour.
NNPC advised Nigerians to remain vigilant and volunteer information to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the industry regulator, or to any law enforcement agency around them, on any station which sells petrol beyond N145 per litre.
PDP, in its reaction to the rumour, accused the APC-controlled NNPC of playing on the intelligence of Nigerians to pave way for another price hike by comparing the petrol price in the country to other neighbouring countries.
“Our position is predicated on our unwavering stand, as a party committed to the welfare of Nigerians, that any increase in fuel price will result in upsurge in cost of goods and services and worsen the biting hardship being faced by Nigerians, who are already overburdened by the APC in the last four years.
“The PDP firmly holds that, at a time like this, rather than musing an increase in the price of such an essential commodity, a responsive leadership ought to be engaging stakeholders and seeking ways to achieve a reduction in the interest of the people.
“Our party insists that the price comparison being contemplated by the APC-controlled Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to warrant an increase, is untenable and further demonstrates that the APC is a party of selfish, unfeeling and insensitive individuals, who relish in inflicting pain and anguish on Nigerians for their selfish desires.
“Moreover, in arguing that petrol price is cheap in Nigeria without also comparing our market and production variables as well as social and economic infrastructure, with those obtainable in other countries, the APC-controlled NNPC is trying to play on the intelligence of Nigerians to pave way for further fleecing of our citizens,” the opposition party said
PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan, added that “Such anti-people position can only come from leaders who do not have the mandate of the people and as such think that they are not answerable or accountable to the citizenry.”
According to PDP, “This is the same APC, which, in 2015, promised to reduce fuel pump price, only for it to jerk it up from N87 per liter, stabilized by the PDP, to an exorbitant N145, from which it now seeks a further increase.
“Moreover, the APC-led Federal Government has no justification whatsoever to contemplate any increase in pump price of fuel, when President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to recover the N9 trillion ($25 billion) oil money stolen under his watch, through sleazy contracts, as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo.
“President Buhari had also failed to recover the N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil allegedly stolen, using 18 unregistered companies, reportedly linked to APC interests.
“It is therefore unacceptable that rather than recovering the over N10 trillion stolen oil money and channeling same to our domestic energy needs, the APC-led Federal Government is seeking to shift the burden of the humongous corruption in the NNPC, as confirmed by the new Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, on our already deprived and impoverished compatriots.
“It is saddening that at a time Nigerians should have been enjoying the benefits of Atiku Abubakar’s economic recovery plan, they are still being faced with apprehensions of more economic hardship under the hypocritical and unfeeling APC.”
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