The 2023 presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Felix Osakwe, has asked President Bola Tinubu to relinquish his position as the minister of Petroleum having failed to address the fuel crisis.
He stated this while blaming Tinubu and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) leadership for the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country.
Osakwe specifically called out NNPCL managing director Mele Kyari and President Bola Tinubu, who also serves as the minister of Petroleum, for failing to address the crisis effectively.
Speaking with Journalists in Abuja over the weekend, Osakwe questioned Tinubu’s decision to appoint himself as Petroleum Minister, stating, “How can a president of a country make himself the Minister of Petroleum? Out of 200 million Nigerians, he didn’t trust anyone to fill the position?”
He added that this decision raises concerns about transparency and accountability within the oil sector.
Osakwe went further to criticize the NNPCL for what he described as “a lot of conspiracy” surrounding the management of the petroleum sector, alluding to a hidden agenda that has worsened the country’s fuel shortages.
In addition, Osakwe slammed the NNPCL for attempting to discredit the Dangote Refinery, after officials from the corporation claimed the fuel produced by the refinery was of substandard quality.
He expressed disbelief that no disciplinary action was taken against the official responsible for the statement, calling it a “disaster to the economy.”
Oil and gas expert Barrister Odemwige Osaro also weighed in on the issue, noting that Kyari’s continued leadership at the NNPCL is against the best interests of Nigerians.
Osaro pointed out that since Kyari’s appointment as GMD/CEO in 2019, the price of petrol has skyrocketed from N145.48 per liter to nearly N1,000, a five-year trend that has worsened the nation’s economic hardships.
Osaro emphasized that President Tinubu’s hesitation in restructuring the NNPCL has left many Nigerians questioning the administration’s commitment to solving the ongoing fuel crisis.
