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Osun Election: Abuja High Court dismisses suit seeking to disqualify Gov Oyetola from contesting

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High Court in Abuja on Thursday, July 14, 2022, dismissed a suit seeking disqualification of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Governor Gboyega Oyetola from the Osun State Governorship election slated for Saturday, July 16.

Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo dismissed the suit on six grounds that the plaintiff, a Chieftain of APC, Moshood Olalekan Adeoti, failed woefully to disclose any cause of action.

The judge held that the suit instituted by the former governorship aspirant constituted a gross abuse of the court process and that the plaintiff did not exhaust the internal mechanism before rushing to court.

Justice Ekwo upheld the arguments of Olusegun Jolaawo SAN that membership of the APC’s Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) by Governor Oyetola in which the suit is predicted is an ad-hoc body and not the real APC’s office recognised by the party’s Constitution.
Adeoti had sought disqualification of the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola from the gubernatorial poll

In the originating summons, he prayed the court to nullify Oyetola’s candidacy on the grounds that the governor contested in the February 19 primary election as a member of the APC’s National Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

The plaintiff said the act contravened the provisions of Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 31(iii) of the APC, October 2014 (as amended).

But the judge held that CECPC is not an office recognized by the APC’s Constitution upon which anybody can be disqualified but a mere ad-hoc body put in place in the absence of the National Executive Committee known to law.

St Maria Goretti Old Girls Association to Edo State Govt: Return School to Catholic Mission

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A group picture of Class of 1982 of Saint Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School Benin City during their 40 years of Reunion which took place in Lagos recently.

…Mark 40 years of leaving alma mater

The Class of 1982 of Saint Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School Benin City have pleaded with the Edo State Government to consider returning the School to the Catholic Mission to enhance the education of the girl child.

The old students, under the auspices of Saint Maria Goretti Old Girls’ Association (SMAGOGA), made the passionate appeal in Lagos recently where they marked their 40 years reunion after leaving school.

The event saw many old girls across the world from all walks of life gather to reminisce on their time at the school. The theme of the reunion was: “Women, Wealth and Winning.”

Speaking during the programme, Mrs. Grace Bose Ojougboh, member of the alumni association and Deputy Director at the Nigerian Communications Commission, called on the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to consider returning the School to the Catholic Mission towards reclaiming the school’s age long glory.

“Now, more than ever before, there is need to empower and raise girls who are pious, confident and equipped with the skill and capacity to function as leaders and nation builders in the 21st century and we believe our alma mater is poised to deliver on this even more with its management being under the Catholic Mission,” Ojougboh said.

She stated that, the Class of 1982 has, over the years, joined hands with the national body of St Maria Goretti Old Girls Association to give the school a facelift as well as support the students through award of scholarships and skills acquisition.

Mrs. Ijeoma Isiolu, a seasoned banker and an old girl of the school, lamented on the very poor state of the school since it was taken over by government. She said the association looks forward to the time when the school will be returned to the Catholic mission.

Henrietta Iweze, a lawyer and member of the Class of 1982, spoke on the need for women to support women and the importance of winning and creating wealth. She emphasised that women should be open to change and stressed the need for women to always give value wherever they find themselves.

Mrs. Maureen Okoro-Sokoh, a human resource consultant and Managing Director, Estymol Group, called on her classmates to use the opportunity of the reunion to really come together and empower each other in different ways.

Speaking in the same vein, Mrs. Ononuju Irukwu, a financial expert and wealth adviser with First Bank of Nigeria who is also of the Class of 1982, stressed the need for women to be empowered through education and financial inclusion.

Irukwu stated that financial literacy opens doors and more opportunities for women and helps them to make informed decisions.

The walk down memory lane by members of Class of 82 brought a lot of nostalgic feeling of joy and gratitude for the wonderful time spent together at the school and the training and discipline they received in their formative years which, they agreed, have molded them into women of excellence.

The Class of 1982 set also used the opportunity of the reunion to visit the Heritage Homes located in the Anthony Village of Lagos Sate to reach out to the less privileged in the society while plans are in the works to visit their alma mater in Benin City.

Saint Maria Goretti Girls’ Grammar School was founded on March 4, 1959, by the Catholic Mission. It was the first “All Girls” Secondary School in Benin City. The School was named after St. Maria Goretti as it was established the same year Maria Goretti, a 12-year old girl, who stood for purity in mind and body was canonised by the Catholic Church.

Late Rev. Sister Dr. Henrietta Powers, a member of the missionary order of the sister of Our Lady of Apostles, was the 4th Principal and the trailblazer from 1961 to December 1984 when she retired from service. She managed the affairs of the school and raised women, who have become excellent women, breaking barriers, changing and impacting their communities in all spheres of life.
St Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School in its heydays, under the Catholic Mission, was the school of choice for people, who wanted an all-round spiritual, moral, vocational and academic development for the girl child.

Osun Election: Anxiety as Court to give judgement on Oyetola’s disqualification suit today

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In a matter of hours, the Federal High Court in Abuja will today deliver judgment in a suit seeking the disqualification of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the July 16 governorship election.

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date on Wednesday after counsel for the parties adopted their processes and presented their arguments in the matter.

The plaintiff in the suit and a chieftain of the APC, Moshood Adeoti, had filed the matter through his legal team led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chiesonu Okpoko.

Anxiety grips Oyetola’s camp

Obviously an unusual anxiety has greeted the nerve of Oyetola’s camp, supporters despite statement predicting the outcome to be favourable for the incumbent governor.

The Punch had reported that Media Adviser to the Osun  State APC Chairman, Kola Olabisi, said there was no merit in the case instituted against Oyetola by Aregbesola’s faction.

He said, “Ideally no one is expected to comment on any issue before the court of law. We know that there is nothing in that case that will merit Adeoti and his people to be celebrating. We expect the court to say that Adeoti and his people have no case.

“So, the truth will prevail tomorrow and we are confident that Oyetola will carry the day”.

However, The Osun State All Progressives Congress faction   backed  by  the  Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola,   was on Wednesday  hopeful  that the Federal High Court in Abuja would disqualify the state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, as the APC governorship candidate in Saturday’s election.

The Chairman of the faction, The Osun Progressives, Mr Lowo Adebiyi, who disclosed in an interview on Wednesday with The Punch.

He said, “We have a court judgment coming up tomorrow (Thursday) by the grace of God and we are going to win that case for Alhaji Moshood Adeoti to represent the APC (at the governorship poll). We are going to vote for APC on Saturday. We are in the party.”

Asked if the group has been canvassing  votes, Adebiyi said, “We are doing our best but we are not mobilised. The governor’s side refuses to mobilise us, but we have told our people to vote for APC.

Tinubu, Lawan, other APC bigwigs rally support for Oyetola’s second term bid as Obi storms Osogbo for LP governorship candidate

A successful experiment executed in Ekiti state which saw APC clinching victory, this time ahead of Osun poll, the APC held a mega rally in Osogbo to canvass support for its governorship candidate before the deadline for campaigns.

This is coming at the same Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has stormed Osogbo in a bid to support his party’s governorship candidate for Osun State,  Mr Lasun Yusuff.

Meanwhile, APC Party leaders at the event held on Tuesday include APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno, and Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, among others.

APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, as well as the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Kassim Shettima, were also present.

Tinubu at the grand rally for the re-election of  Oyetola on Tuesday,  said, “They said some are in Labour (Party). They will remain labourers till death.”

Meanwhile, Labour Party didn’t allow his words unattended as Mr Peter Obi, and the governorship candidate of the party for Osun State,  Mr Lasun Yusuff, on Wednesday berated the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju  Bola Tinubu, over his comment at his party’s rally on Tuesday.

Obi, who was in Osogbo also to rally support for Yusuff at the governorship rally organised by the party, while addressing the LP members, advised them that such a comment should be returned with love.

Osun election being one of Nigeria’s off-circle election is scheduled for Saturday, 16th July 2022 with APC, PDP, LP as major contenders.

2023: Tinubu suffers setback as Afenifere Leader, Adebanjo, declares support for Peter Obi

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All Progressives Party(APC), Presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has apparently suffered setback in his regional support base as the Leader of Afenifere, a pan Yoruba socio-political group, Ayo Adebanjo, on Wednesday expressed his support for the presidential candidate of the Labour party, Peter Obi in the forthcoming elections.
In an interview with an online radio programme, Yoruba Gbode,  Adebanjo said, “It is only Peter Obi that can rule independently without the influence of these criminals in the government. Tinubu will only give continuity to Buhari’s incompetence.
 “We know Peter Obi very well, that’s why we endorsed him. He will not disappoint Nigerians, let’s put tribal differences apart and vote the right leader in.”
Speaking with our correspondent on his support for Obi on Wednesday, Adebanjo said, “Am I not the first to say that for equity and justice and for peace, it’s the south east? I don’t know any other candidate from the south east other than Obi and I have been very specific about Obi.”

HURIWA asks Tinubu, Atiku to clear air on birth, age, certificates controversies

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Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Wednesday, urged All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar to clear the allegations and controversies surrounding their birthdays, age, certificates, and their businesses.

The Rights group disclosed this in a statement to Nigerian Neewssphere by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, that it is imperative for the electorate to be informed on first hand basis by the candidatetetes directly through  publicised Sworn affidavits before the Federal High Court so Nigerians know exactly the true identities of the persons seeking their votes because voting is a sacred social contract and it wouldn’t be transparent if voters are asked to vote for persons they aren’t so sure of  vital statistics about them.

HURIWA said although as a body, it has nothing to do with those allegations made at various places and times by some politicians against Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Vice President Atku Abubakar but the Rights group said it will be far better and much more credible if these high profile individuals can respond by themselves once and for all to clear the doubts about these key questions about them.

“It was mindful of the fact that even in the United Kingdom few hours back, the internationally respected long distance athletic Olympics champion Sir. Mo Farah (A Knight of Great Britain) admitted that he was trafficked as a Child into the UK as a Child and that he had a false identity and that his true identity is Hussein just as the Rights group noted that the British Government affirms that since the offence was committed by adults and not by the person making the admission, his citizenship granted him can’t be revoked.

“Nigerians deserve to know everything about the Persons that are putting themselves forward to succeed the President, Major General muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in 2023 just as the Rights group called on these candidates to make these critical information open and transparent so these lingering doubts are ended once and for all. HURIWA said it has no intention of instituting any legal challenge against these Presidential Candidates but is interested in Nigerians knowing the truth in the spirit of the FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OF 2015.

“Recall that in 2009, former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, had allegedly without any shreds of empirical data, said that everything about Tinubu is fake.

“Speaking in Yoruba, Oyinlola had alleged thus:, “Bola Tinubu from head to toe is fake, I still want to add something, because his age is fake, his mother is fake, his father is fake, the school he attended is fake, his state of origin is fake, PDP! Power!!!.

“I want to tell you something today and if you want to know, if you see Tinubu, let him expose/show his hand and stomach, there is cartoon of lizard there, which indigene of Lagos would have that mark except Osun indigene.”

Onwubiko, further added that, “Specifically, these allegations had been reinforced by Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Bode George, and many other Lagosians not on the side of the former Lagos State governor. Controversies and plethora of allegations have also trailed Tinubu’s name, birth, original state of origin, parents, schools attended, and many others.

“Bayo Onanuga the authorised Campaign media spokesperson of His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu dismissed Colonel Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s allegations as malicious and unsubstantiated.  Also in the case of Atiku Abubakar, there are subsisting allegations that he is not a Nigerian but a Cameroonian.  Atiku was once dragged to Court but the matter was not decided in favour of his accusers.  Also, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is being challenged in court over alleged false academic claims by a group which the Politicians through his spokesperson had also rubbished as a dustraction and an absolute falsehood.

“There is need for clarity on the identity doubts around APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu. Nigerians deserve to know everything about him with proof beginning with allegations of him as a kid been transported to Canada with the name Bola Tinubu which isn’t his originally; the unclear stories about his parents, elementary education and lots more- all are still allegations that are yet unproven but there us the need for His Excellency to take out a Court’s affidavits responding to these groundswell of unverified allegations.

“These issues must be made clear to Nigerians by APC presidential candidate himself not by proxy before he begins campaign because the citizens who are owners of the sovereignty of Nigeria have the legal right to know. “Nigerians won’t vote for any man who is shielding his past for obvious reasons. Nigerians have their permanent voter cards and will do their due diligence before casting their priceless votes that cannot be bought and so Nigerians await his educative and informative responses”, he stated.

APC Muslim-Muslim ticket, a distarous error, Ex-SGF Babachil Lawal

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Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has faulted the announcement of a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Lawal, in a note he personally signed on Tuesday, described the decision as a “disastrous error.”

Mr Tinubu on Sunday had announced former Borno State Governor, Kassim Shettima, as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election.

Both men are Muslims.

Mr Lawal, who backed Tinubu during the APC presidential primaries, said the choice of Mr Shettima was a sign that the APC presidential candidate has “been cornered by self-serving, hero-worshiping, lapdogs.”

“The northern governors and some northern moslem elites must have persuaded him that they will never vote for a ticket that has a northern Christian on it. And he has agreed with them,” Mr Lawal said.

“But if he thinks a Moslem-Moslem ticket will win him the northern Muslim votes, he should have a rethink. They will massively vote for one of their sons because it is in their nature to do so. Buhari, their first son will not be on the ballot in 2023. Atiku their second son will be.”

PDP names actress, Funke Akindele as running mate to Lagos State Governorship flagbearer, Jandor

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Peoples Democratic Party has named Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele, as deputy governorship candidate of Lagos State for the forthcoming 2023 elections.

The actress confirmed her deputy governorship candidacy in a video on her verified Instagram page on Tuesday.

With this position, she had become the running mate of the PDP Lagos State governorship candidate, Olajide Adediran, popularly called Jandor.

In the video she posted on Tuesday, she revealed her reasons for becoming a running mate.

She said, “I saw it as an opportunity to help liberate and improve the wellbeing of our people, particularly the deprived youth, women and the girl child.

She said, “I saw it as an opportunity to help liberate and improve the wellbeing of our people, particularly the deprived youth, women and the girl child.

“My decision is not just to accept this huge responsibility but to also work tirelessly and complement Jandor’s burning desire to see our dear Lagos live up to its full potentials.”

Meanwhile, when she said her name at the end of the video, the Ikorodu-born indigene of Lagos didn’t include her husband’s name, Bello

This comes two weeks after her husband, Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz, announced that they have gone their separate ways.

Bello, who confirmed the separation in an Instagram post on July 1, said things had not been going well between him and the actress in the last two years, adding that all efforts expended on reconciling their differences had proved abortive.

The actress, however, has remained silent on her separation from her husband as she is yet to address Bello’s claims.

HURIWA to Buhari: If Presidency is tough, please resign now

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Following the admission by President Muhammadu Buhari that the Presidency is tough and that he is eager to go, a call has gone to President Muhammadu Buhari from the Human Right Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) to be honest enough to resign now to minimise the damage his crass incompetence and gross dereliction of duty would costs the Country if he stayed on till May 29th 2023.

HURIWA disclosed this Nigerian Newssphere on Tuesday Morning.

The Rights group faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s call on the Academic Staff Union of Universities to consider the plight of the future generations of the country as the strike stretches into the fifth month just as HURIWA stated that the administration bears the largest chunk of the blame for totally abandoning public tertiary institutions because the children of the President, Governors, Senators, ministers and heads of government agencies are all schooling in foreign educational institutions including the ugly scenario that the Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly lived in Dubai the United Arab Emirates for the better part of the last seven years of the current administration of her husband.

HURIWA said it is so sad that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has not only endangered national security interests by the nepotistic appointments of only Northern Muslims as heads of all the internal security institutions including the Prison/Correctional centres and the President by refusing to fire his officials who have sabotaged national security including those who clearly facilitated the recent invasion and jail break at the Kuje minimum security prison in Abuja and most other jailbreaks, what this dereliction of duty by President Muhammadu Buhari shows is that he is comfortable working with saboteurs of national security interests and that he is fine with incompetence and abysmal failures of leadership in his government.

HURIWA is therefore appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to be a statesman by tendering his resignation from office now to stave off greater disasters that await the nation should his rudderless government persists in its infamy, impunity and lawlessness.

The Rights group regretted that as stated in a report from the CBN that indicates that Nigeria has lost more than 80 per cent in foreign investments in the last three years as capital importation drops just as Data from the country’s statistics body said that foreign capital imports have declined in three years.

HURIWA citing official statistics disclosed that Capital imports into Nigeria had dipped by 81.46 per cent, about $6.91 billion from $8.49 billion in the first quarter of 2019 to $1.57 billion in the same period of 2022, as disclosed by a data from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
According to the NBS data, Nigeria’s capital imports reports for four years say there is a steady drop in capital inflows into the country.

HURIWA also blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for destroying the national economy by his government’s failures to defend Nigeria from external and internal terrorists going by the evidence provided by the nation’s Apex Bank during the latest Monetary Policy Committee meeting (MPC), when the regulator of Banking industry admitted that an unconducive domestic investment climate is affecting foreign capital inflows into the country.

The Rights group recalled that the CBN said that Foreign Direct Investment has been very low while there was a reversal in foreign portfolio inflows from Nigeria in Q4 of 2021. He said the poor trend is due to an unconducive domestic investment climate which is worsening. In February of this year, Emefiele said, inflows stood at $17.67 billion in comparison to $66.4 billion in the same month in 2021, which is the highest since 2020. The World Bank in its recent June update on Nigeria said the rising global interest rate is going to lead to more investment outflows from Nigeria in 2022 which will lead to a fall in total capital importation.

HURIWA quoted a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari said the Presidency was tough and that he was eager to retire home when he received some governors of the All Progressives Congress, legislators, and political leaders at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.
The statement is titled ‘Enough is enough, President Buhari tells ASUU, urges lecturers to consider generational consequences.’

HURIWA quoted President as stating thus: “The observation that I abandoned my base was made by the Emir of Daura, Dr. Faruk Umar Faruk, at the eid prayer ground. He held the microphone and told everyone that the last time I was in Daura was during the Eid-el-Kabir of 2021. “In ten to eleven months’ time, I will come here. I have a better house in Kaduna, but it is too close to Abuja. “I am eager to go. I can tell you it has been tough. I am grateful to God that people appreciate the personal sacrifices we have been making. I wish the person who is coming after me the very best.”

HURIWA has therefore admonished President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately resign so he doesn’t create additional burdens that may be too tough for the incoming administration to confront from May 29th 2023 just as the Rights group said the worst show of shame for the current government was the crass unwillingness of the administration to take measures to stop the incessant industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities by not showing adequate leadership qualities.

Buhari to ASUU: Enough is Enough, end prolong strike

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…Says strike will have generational consequences

President Muhammadu Buhari has told the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that enough is enough and should reconsider their position on the prolong strike with a view to calling it off.

He made the call on Monday in Daura, Katsina State, when he received some governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), legislators and political leaders at his residence.

The president expressed worry that the strike will have generational consequences on families, the educational system and future development of the country.

He said the strike had already taken a toll on the psychology of parents, students and other stakeholders, throwing up many moral issues that already beg for attention.

President Buhari noted that the future of the country rests on the quality of educational institutions and education, while assuring that the government understands their position, and negotiations should continue, with students in lecture halls.

“We hope that ASUU will sympathise with the people on the prolonged strike. Truly, enough is enough for keeping students at home. Don’t hurt the next generation for goodness sake,” a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), quoted him as saying.

The president called on all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly those close to the leaders and members of the association, to intervene in persuading the lecturers to reconsider their position, and the ripple effect on an entire generation and the nation.

President Buhari said students from Nigerian universities will be faced with the challenge of competing with others in a highly connected and technology-driven workspace, and keeping them at home only deprives them of time, skill and opportunities to be relevant on the global stage.

“Colonial type education was geared towards producing workers in government. Those jobs are no longer there. Our young people should get education to prepare them for self-employment. Now education is for the sake of education.

“Through technology, we are much more efficient. We should encourage our children to get education, not only to look for government jobs,” he added.

President Buhari said resources should be channeled more into building infrastructure and operations of the health and educational sector, not to expand the bureaucracy to create job opportunities.

“By this time next year, I would have made the most out of the two terms, and the remaining months I will do my best,” the president noted.

President Buhari urged those in political positions and places of privilege to be mindful in helping the many Nigerians that were looking for opportunities.

If you are greedy, you won’t look around to see what is happening with those who are less endowed,’’ he said.

The president told the governors and political leaders that he had not been to his house in Daura for close to a year due to the demands of office.

“The observation that I abandoned my base was made by the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar Faruk, at the eid prayer ground. He held the microphone and told everyone that the last time I was in Daura was during the Eid-el-Kabir of 2021,” he added.

President Buhari said he would retire to Daura, not Kaduna, where he had a better house.

“In ten to eleven months time, I will come here. I have a better house in Kaduna, but it is too close to Abuja,’’ he said.

The president explained that the schedule of work was much, saying he recently had to sympathise with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, who had to be away most of the time from his family.

President Buhari urged the APC stalwarts to keep working for the good of the people and the country, noting that “ We are a lucky people, and we need to reflect more on where we are coming from.”

The president said relative to the resources available, and compared to the last administration, the government had done well in many areas, particularly in infrastructure.

“I wish the person who is coming after me the very best,” he said.

Marketers defile FG, now sell fuel for N185/Litre in Abuja

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Residents of Federal Capital Territory(FCT) woke up on Monday morning to see various filling stations selling petrol at N185/litre.
The development defiles instructions given by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to ensure that petrol remains available at the subsidized price of N165/litre amid untamed queues.
Our correspondent who went round some filling stations reported to have seen Shaffa and A A Rano along Kubwa expressway and Jabi upwardly reviewed their metres.
While their managers declined NewsDirect comments, gathered that the marketers adjusted their meters to reflect a ‘new official price’ following rising operational cost.
The upward adjustment is also a sharp contrast to the recent promises made by top executives of the South-West bloc of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
The association, penultimate week, pledged support for the Federal Government by ensuring that Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) was available at the regulated price of N165 per litre, at retail stations.
The Zonal Chairman, IPMAN South-West, Alhaji Dele Tajudeen Lamidi, who gave the assurance at a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, also highlighted some of the problems his members are facing: product sharing, rise in penalties, difficulty in getting tax clearance, high cost of doing business in the country, amongst others.
He, however, assured that despite the contending challenges, the union has resolved not to embark on any industrial action as a conflict resolution technique.
“As far as we are concerned in the South-West, we have gone beyond strike. Strike is not the solution to any problem because if there is a strike, it affects the masses and our businesses.
We will work together to ensure free flow of petroleum products and also make sure that products are sold at the government-regulated price, if we get them at the normal price’’, the Zonal Chairman said.
Meanwhile, petroleum marketers on the platform of Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) rose from their 2nd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on last Thursday, with a plea to President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make dollars available at official rate to oil marketers, to enable import diesel, end petrol scarcity and ultimately save the Nigerian economy from sinking. They said that dollar support should be available till Dangote Refinery comes on stream later in the year.
The association, among others, urged the National Assembly to immediately enact a Bill for the establishment of Energy Bank for easy transaction in petroleum products in the sector.
The National President of the Association, Mr Benneth Korie, who briefed the media after the NEC meeting in Abuja, noted that the bulk of the operational challenge peppering marketers and depot owners spring from expensive diesel which hovers around N850/litre.
While thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for approving a higher bridging cost payment to transporters, Korie said the operators’ challenges were far from over as oil marketers and depot owners spend about N20 million weekly on diesel to power their operations, a development he said erodes their profits.
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