News
Petrol crisis: Trucks stranded at depots as NNPCL, Dangote disagree on price
Oil marketers have yet to commence the loading of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, despite assurances by the Federal Government that the commodity will be available this weekend.
It was gathered that though some PMS vessels had arrived in the country at the NNPC’s Apapa and Port Harcourt depots, loading by independent marketers had yet to begin.
As a result, petrol queues in major cities persisted on Friday despite the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, earlier promising that the product would be massively available before the weekend.
But the National Operations Controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mustapha Zarma, said on Friday that the loading of products at depots had yet to commence, stressing that the queues could last till Monday.
“Maybe the improvement in supply will start tomorrow or Sunday but as of yesterday (Thursday) and today (Friday), there has not been much loading of products. And even if there has been loading today, I don’t think it is much.
“That is why the queues are still visible. We cannot confirm the massive release of products as announced by the minister until maybe Monday,” Zarma stated.
On whether the petrol being expected was the one from the Dangote refinery, Zarma replied, “I am not in a position to answer that. It is NNPC that should answer that.”
NNPC earlier stated on Thursday that it would start lifting products from the Dangote refinery on September 15, 2024.
Zarma had told our correspondent on Thursday that about 2,000 petrol tankers were still at various NNPC depots waiting to lift products.
He said, “The queues in Abuja are heavy. Nobody is loading. Right now, most of the tickets of independent marketers, which had been paid for since the last three months have not been cleared to load.”
The President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, also confirmed that marketers had yet to start lifting petrol as required.
“We are aware of what the minister said, but we don’t have products yet. We have not started lifting the product as it is supposed to be and that is why the cost is very high in filling stations that have it.
“People struggle so much to get the product to sell to keep their businesses running. Once the products are readily accessible, the price will stabilise and the queues will clear. That is the situation.”
Presidential aide attacks Dangote
Meanwhile, a presidential aide said the Dangote Refinery was running away from pricing in order not to look bad to Nigerians.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, noted that the refinery was the sole determinant of pricing, adding that it could not sell fuel below its cost price.
“The petrol price cannot be less than N1,000; that was why Dangote decided to push it to the government. So, if the price is determined by the Federal Government, people can attack the government. How does a private company ask the government to fix its price?” the official stated.
In a statement on Thursday, the Dangote Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, had said the PMS market in Nigeria was strictly regulated and the refinery would wait for relevant government agencies for the price.
He said, “The PMS market is strictly regulated, which is known to all oil marketers and stakeholders in the sector, hence we cannot determine, fix, or influence the product price, which falls under the purview of relevant government authorities.”
However, the NNPC, in another statement by its spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, made a contrary claim about the price.
The company held that the PMS market had been deregulated and market forces would determine the price of the product.
Soneye was quoting the Executive Vice President of Downstream, NNPC, Adedapo Segun, saying Section 205 of the Petroleum Industry Act, which established NNPC Ltd, stipulated that petroleum prices were determined by unrestricted free market forces.
“Additionally, the exchange rate plays a significant role in influencing these prices,” the NNPC submitted.
Market forces
Experts told our correspondent that if the NNPC and the Federal Government allowed market forces to determine the price of Dangote petrol, it might be as high as N1,000 per litre.
“Can Nigerians buy petrol at N1,000 or N1,100?” a depot operator queried, asking the government to intervene to ensure affordable energy for Nigerians.
Speaking with our correspondent, an energy consultant and expert, Henry Adigun, said the cost of producing a litre of PMS is an average of N750, without any additional cost.
According to Adigun, this could rise to N800/litre when other margins are added, which will also increase when it gets to the filling stations.
He stated that the NNPC could decide to buy from Dangote and sell at a subsidised rate to the masses. The consultant, however, called for transparency in the entire process.
“Anybody that is expecting N400 or N500 petrol is just wasting his time. It won’t happen,” Adigun added.
OSOGBO — The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the outcome of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that it is not convinced that Governor Ademola Adeleke secured the highest number of valid votes.
INEC on Sunday declared Adeleke the winner after the Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwale, announced the final results at the commission’s headquarters in Osogbo.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dr Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
However, the APC said it would not accept the declaration without conducting a comprehensive review of the electoral process.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on Monday, the Director-General of the APC campaign for the Osun governorship election, Hon. Oluwole Oke, said the party had commenced an audit of the results and electoral materials from the poll.
Oke said the party had directed its agents across the state to submit relevant result sheets for scrutiny as it investigates alleged infractions.
“We need to do the needful which is to evaluate the process, review the process and then form an opinion. We’ve embarked on an audit process; we’ve asked all our party agents to submit copies of Form EC8A, B, C to our secretariat for review. We need to inspect all the materials because we do not agree with the declaration of INEC, and that’s our position for now,” he said.
The APC campaign chief also dismissed suggestions that the party was under pressure to immediately accept the outcome following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s congratulatory message to Adeleke.
Tinubu had congratulated Adeleke after the declaration, describing the outcome as a reflection of the will of the people.
Reacting to the President’s position, Oke said Tinubu spoke in his capacity as President and a democrat following INEC’s declaration.
“Mr. President spoke as the Father of the nation and a democrat following the declaration by INEC,” he said.
Oke, however, maintained that the APC would rely on its own assessment of the election after completing its review.
“We’re on ground and politics is local and, like I’ve told you, what we’re doing is to conduct a thorough review of the entire process and form an opinion,” he said.
He added that the party would not be rushed into congratulating Adeleke, insisting that its preliminary position was that the governor did not secure the highest number of valid votes.
“We won’t be under any subtle pressure to easily reach out to congratulate Senator Ademola Adeleke because we believe he didn’t score the highest valid votes,” Oke said.
The APC is expected to determine its next course of action after completing its audit and reviewing the electoral materials and results submitted by its agents.
ABAKALIKI — The 2027 governorship race in Ebonyi State is gathering momentum, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, unveiling a package of reforms aimed at improving the welfare of workers, teachers and retirees.
Odii made the commitments during a meeting with representatives of Ebonyi civil servants and members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) at his Lagos residence, where he outlined his plans for a comprehensive reform of the state’s public service.
A major component of his agenda is a workers’ housing scheme designed to provide 1,000 housing units within his first year in office and up to 5,000 units over four years if elected governor.
Odii said the housing programme would be structured to minimise dependence on direct government funding, with workers’ contributions and existing pension assets forming part of the financing framework.
He said the initiative would address the housing difficulties faced by workers and retirees, particularly retirees who often struggle to sustain rented accommodation after leaving government service.
The PDP candidate also proposed a paperless digital loan platform that would allow workers to access loans against their contributory pension savings without the bureaucratic delays associated with the existing system.
On retirement benefits, Odii pledged that workers would have access to their entitlements immediately upon retirement, arguing that retirees should not endure prolonged delays in receiving benefits accrued during their years of service.
He further promised to reform the promotion process through computer-based promotion examinations capable of producing results instantly.
According to him, the digital system would reduce delays, curb opportunities for manipulation and promote greater transparency and fairness in the career progression of civil servants.
Odii said the proposed reforms were aimed at creating a public service where workers would have improved access to housing, credit facilities and timely retirement benefits, while ensuring a more transparent promotion system.
He presented the proposals as part of his broader agenda to improve workers’ welfare and reposition the Ebonyi State civil service for greater efficiency if elected governor in 2027.
The MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has confirmed the death of one of its operations staff in an electrical accident.
The Head of Communications, MEDL, Mr Emeka Ezeh, who confirmed the incident in Enugu on Monday, said that the incident occured on Aug. 13 at Eke in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Ezeh said that the incident, which occurred at about 1p.m., involved Mr. Samson Okechi, the Team Lead, Abor, attached to the company’s 9th Mile District.
He said, “Okechi was carrying out maintenance work on a 50kVA/11kV pole-mounted distribution substation at Eke when he sustained an electric shock.
“Okechi was immediately evacuated to Our Saviour Hospital, Ngwo, for medical attention but was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty. His remains were subsequently deposited at a mortuary.”
He said that the incident was formally reported at the Ngwo Police Station for documentation and other necessary statutory actions.
Ezeh also debunked claims circulating on some social media platforms that Okechi was murdered or that the incident was the result of sabotage.
“I wonder why some people take pleasure in conjuring unfounded narratives and circulating them, thereby creating unnecessary tension and bad blood. This is so unfair,” he said.
He urged members of the public to disregard the claims, describing them as baseless.
According to him, Okechi had requested a Station Guarantee (SG) for the Okwe 11kV Feeder, which was granted at about 11:06 a.m. at the 9th Mile Injection Substation. The feeder was subsequently opened and tagged.
“This is a very unfortunate development and a big shock to all of us, his colleagues. Our hearts go out to his immediate family as they grieve,” Ezeh said.
The MEDL spokesman disclosed that MainPower management had commenced a comprehensive investigation to establish the immediate, underlying and root causes of the accident.
He said, “We are committed to ensuring that the investigation is thorough and evidence-based.
“The findings will be used to identify any gaps, determine appropriate corrective measures, and strengthen safety procedures and operational controls where necessary.”
Ezeh MEDL assured its customers and stakeholders that safety remained a paramount priority in its operations, adding that appropriate measures would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.
Idiaye, a third-term lawmaker, takes over from Blessing Agbebaku, who resigned as Speaker on Monday amid moves by lawmakers to impeach him.
The emergence of Idiaye was said to have been influenced by the gentleman’s zoning arrangement in the Assembly, which provides that when the governor is from the Edo Central Senatorial District, the Speaker should come from Edo North.
Idiaye, being the oldest member from the Edo North Senatorial District, was subsequently elected Speaker.
Without the zoning arrangement, the Deputy Speaker would have automatically succeeded Agbebaku, according to the new Speaker.
Members of the Assembly were at the Government House to inform Governor Monday Okpebholo of the change in leadership.
Agbebaku was said to have resigned early on Monday following alleged moves by lawmakers to impeach him.
Reports gathered that 17 of the 24 lawmakers had signed a notice of impeachment on Sunday night, a development that may have prompted his resignation.
Agbebaku’s resignation was confirmed by Ebojele, who said details of the development would be made public later.
She said, “I can confirm the Speaker’s resignation but details will be made public later.”
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from his position.
Agbebaku stepped down on Monday amid moves by some lawmakers to impeach him.
His resignation was confirmed on Facebook by his media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, who said further details on the circumstances surrounding his exit would be made public later.
“EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RT HON CHIEF BLESSING AGBEBAKU RESIGNS,” she wrote.
The development has thrown the Edo State House of Assembly into a fresh leadership crisis, with lawmakers expected to determine a new Speaker.
Details shortly…
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