ABUJA/Nigeria: An amalgamation of civil society groups under the aegis of the Stand Up for Nigeria Coalition (SUN-CO) has called for the immediate resignation of the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Maikanti Baru or be immediately shown the way out by President Muhammadu Buhari over the lingering fuel scarcity in the country.
The coalition noted that the continued scarcity of petroleum products in the country is an economic terrorism which has caused Nigerians untold pains.
According to its Convener, Comrade Philip Agbese, at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, the only thing Nigerians can understand “after series of meetings and Consultations is for fuel to immediately return to the filling stations and let us end this suffering and pains caused by the ineptitude of one man who is abusing his rights and privileges.”
The coalition noted that it has watched worsening fuel crisis “with alarm and concern as Nigerians are coerced into wasting useful man-hours queuing for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, while almost half of the country’s population are denied the most important religious holiday having been prevented from spending Christmas holidays with families as they would have wished to.”
He revealed that “Having taken time to understand the underlying causes of the scarcity and the resulting hardship visited on Nigerians, SUN-CO, came to the irreversible conclusion that the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, is complicit in the ugly situation the country has been plunged into.
“SUN-CO therefore call on Mr. Maikanti Baru to immediately resign as NNPC GMD since he has totally lost the confidence of Nigerians after proving that his loyalty lies with the industry canal and not for the well-being of the common man. This act of wickedness and callousness exhibited by the GMD and his cronies at the NNPC is a further proof that some highly placed persons are deliberately sabotaging the efforts of the President.
“We therefore urge President Muhammadu Buhari to save his government from further incurring the anger of Nigerians by ensuring that Baru is shown the way out if he lacks the decorum to fall on his own sword after the punishment he has imposed on the country at a time when all citizens should be joyous.
“SUN-CO further urges Mr President to immediately name a new leader for NNPC so that Nigerians would not have a repeat of the 2012 scenario when they had to rise up against the government over the handling of fuel issues”, the coalition counselled.
Arguing that “this is not the best of times for anyone as a patriot to sit on the fence as the situation is at variance with the welfare policies of the Buhari administration, the Convener maintained that “Anyone that prophesies to love the country must first love the President and at all times be supportive of his well articulated programs and policies in line with this vision.
“It’s unfortunate that the enemies within have had a field day in the last few days and do not care about what happens to the image and personality of President Buhari whom Nigerians have trusted with the mandate to redeem them from sufferings and pains inflicted on us by past leaders of this country”, SUN-CO stated.
