President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently under fire from Nigeria following the statement by his official spokesperson and Special Adviser to the President, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, that there will be no increase in the Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) price in the country.
Mr. Ngelale had, during a State House press briefing, said:
“The President affirms there will be no increase in the Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) price anywhere in the country… and assures that not one entity will dominate the market.”
Ngelale also, during the press briefing, displayed a chart showing the Naira equivalent of petrol pump price per litre across the West African sub-region as follows:
Watch a video footage of the press briefing below:
STATE HOUSE, PRESS BRIEFING
"The President affirms there will be no increase in the Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) price anywhere in the country… and assures that not one entity will dominate the market"
-Ajuri Ngelale
SA (Media & Publicity)
Official Presidential Spokesperson pic.twitter.com/2MC9JG4Lmf— Daddy D.O🇳🇬 (@DOlusegun) August 15, 2023
Earlier on August 14, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), said on its Twitter handle:
“Dear esteemed customers, we at NNPC Retail value your patronage, and we do not have the intention to increase our PMS pump prices as widely speculated. Please buy the best quality products at the most affordable prices at our NNPC Retail Stations nationwide.”
Reacting to the briefing, as well as NNPCL pronouncement, some Nigerians have questioned the rationale of making pronouncements on the price of fuel when the federal government has already said that it has deregulated petroleum pricing.
The government also stated that, henceforth, the price will be determined by market forces
Taking to his Twitter handle, @BwalaDaniel, a legal practitioner and the presidential spokesman to the Atiku Campaign Organisation 2023, Mr. Daniel Bwala, in a post entitled “NNPC, APC and PBAT“, tweeted:
“On one hand, you said fuel price is determined by market forces; on the other hand, you said Nigerians should calm down you have not further increased the price of petroleum. Contradiction pro max. Finally, you are returning fuel subsidy with style having clearly failed with the fuel subsidy removal. Albert Einstein said, “You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it.” The MD of NNPC, heads of the subsidiaries of NNPC and key Executives have no basis staying there to be a part of the reform.”
Oseni Rufai, @ruffydfire, tweeted:
“Solutions to current high petrol price: Fix refinery; Develop a proper energy mix; Improve productivity; Subsidize prices until structural reforms kick in; Investigate the subsidy regime of the NNPC; Grow national revenue Reduce dependence on oil/Mineral resources as our major source of fx Ensure businesses grow.”
Miss Pearls, @MissPearls, said:
“They removed subsidy, now they are discussing returning it. Was there a subsidy removal in the first place or an avenue to cash out while the masses suffer? Have you ever wondered how Tinubu intends to recover the huge amount of Naira and Dollars he spent to bribe delegates to win the primaries? Or the bigger amount he spent on INEC to rig him into power? You think it was free and he has no plans to recover them? That’s the way of drug lords, nothing is ever free. They will pretend to do good but scheme and scam their brutal way to recovery, even far beyond what they ever spent!
‘Demola Olarewaju, @DemolaRewaju, responded:
“Tinubu was wrong to have declared subsidy removal with his inauguration day speech. He was then wrong to follow through without appointing any Minister to directly manage the economy while he sent it into coma. His policy reversal would be an admission of gross failure.”
Mikael C Bernard, @MikaelCBernard, noted:
“Yeye media. It’s not May, Fuel Subsidy has returned. Less than 2 months into othe office. Rehoboam has: 1. Removed subsidy 2. “Floated” Naira 3. Crumbled the economy 4. Brought back subsidy 5. Brought back the Meffycomics. Woe unto a city whose princes take heroine in the morning!”
𝘿𝙧 𝙀𝙡 𝙈𝙤, 𝙋𝙨𝙮 𝘿., @Drelmoatiku, insisted:
“As the possibility of rerun election seems likely, Tinubu is set to bring back fuel subsidy (temporarily). A continuation of the era of policy somersault. Omo, if you like, share money. If rerun happens tomorrow, nothing for you.”
Harmless, @Harmless12345, added:
“The most careless statement of the year: FUEL SUBSIDY IS GONE!”
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