Abuja — A group, Niger Delta Advocacy Network for Good Governance and Transparency, has threatened to stage a protest at the National Assembly if the Federal Government fails to sack the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over the lingering fuel scarcity in the country.
The group, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Okpako Theophilus, expressed frustration over the prolonged fuel scarcity, which has led to residents in oil-producing states buying fuel at exorbitant prices of up to N1000 per liter.
Theophilus reminded President Bola Tinubu of the recent #EndBadGovernance protest, which was fueled by the petroleum scarcity, and wondered why the NNPCL management was still in office despite failing to manage the petroleum sector.
The group accused the NNPCL leadership of jeopardizing President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda and called for immediate removal, threatening to shut down the National Assembly with a protest if their demand was not met by Friday.
The Niger Delta Advocacy Network also alleged racketeering in the purchase of petroleum products by top government officials in NNPCL, leading to harsh economic conditions faced by ordinary Nigerians.
In a final warning, the group urged President Tinubu to take drastic measures to save Nigerians from suffering, emphasizing that the NNPCL boss's continued stay in office was a threat to the country's economy.
They said, "This is totally unacceptable, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu means well for this country and as such he should take drastic measures to save Nigerians who are suffering. The continued stay in office of the head of NNPCL is a threat to the economy of Nigeria. He has shown that he cannot manage the petroleum sector, hence the President should sack him and appoint a competent hand.
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"The President's Renewed Hope Agenda is being jeopardized by the NNPCL by making Nigerians suffer to buy fuel which is in large deposit in the country. In our various cities in Niger Delta, we are buying fuel above the market price, and they are selling to us commuters at N1000. NNPCL has made the economy so harsh for ordinary Nigerians; it is obvious there's racketeering going on in the purchase of petroleum products by top government officials in NNPCL to the detriment of Nigerians.
"We are calling on Mr. President as a matter of urgency to sack the head of NNPCL because it is obvious he is working against the actualization of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. With the likes of him in the affair of NNPCL, Nigerians will continue to experience all these shenanigans going on in the NNPCL. Failure of Mr. President to sack him from now till Friday, we will move to the National Assembly and protest for his removal."
