A Chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently address the current hardship faced by Nigerians due to persistent fuel scarcity, which continues to ravage the country’s economy.
In a statement personally signed and made available to journalists on Sunday, Ajadi said: “What President Bola Tinubu promised Nigerians upon assuming office last year was that, with the removal of the subsidy, there wouldn’t be any fuel scarcity. However, Nigerians can now see that the President has failed to keep his promise.”
He added that the situation in the country has become dire due to poor electricity supply, forcing the majority of Nigerians to rely solely on petrol or diesel to power their generators. Ajadi recalled that when Nigerians complained about poor power supply nine years ago, during the early days of Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency, Tinubu urged patience, assuring that the issue of inconsistent electricity would soon be resolved.
According to Ajadi: “Nine years later, with Bola Tinubu as President, the electricity supply is still inadequate or nonexistent in many parts of the country. To make matters worse, people cannot find petroleum products to buy, even when they are willing to spend their hard-earned money on it.”
“What this means is that the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has blamed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the country’s woes, has also failed Nigerians after nine years in power.”
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“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the Minister of Petroleum, must find a solution to the current unavailability of fuel in the country. It is disheartening that we are experiencing fuel scarcity at a time when Nigerians are just beginning to see some relief with the slight reduction in food prices.”
“The little progress we have made will soon evaporate, and we will be back to square one due to the high cost of transportation caused by the unavailability of petroleum products.”
“The President needs to investigate the activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited and, if necessary, sanction those responsible for the current scarcity.”
“It is sad that despite the willingness of many to buy fuel at high prices, it is simply not available, affecting many aspects of life, including the transportation of foodstuffs from rural to urban areas.”
“We cannot continue like this as a country, and the President must find the courage to implement a lasting solution to the perennial fuel scarcity affecting various parts of the country.”
Ajadi also called on former Presidents and other statesmen in the country to come forward and offer solutions to the current problem, emphasizing that the fuel scarcity impacts almost every household in Nigeria.
“What is happening now should be critically examined beyond politics. Former Presidents and other statesmen should come forward to propose solutions,” Ajadi said.
