Atiku calls refinery delays, fuel scarcity national disgrace, blames Tinubu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar slammed President Bola Tinubu over the ongoing fuel scarcity and delays in re-operating the Port Harcourt refinery, calling it a “national disgrace.”

Atiku’s statement comes as Nigerians continue to deal with the severe fuel shortages and escalating energy costs.

The Port Harcourt refinery, which has been shut down since 2019, was expected to be re-operated to alleviate the fuel shortage and ultimately halt importation, but the delays have only exacerbated the crisis.

Atiku blamed Tinubu for the continued delays in the re-operation of the refinery, saying that the failure “rests firmly on the shoulders of President Tinubu, who also holds the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources.”

Atiku, the 2023 PDP presidential candidate, in a statement on Monday, also accused Tinubu’s administration of continuing fuel subsidy payments in secret despite publicly claiming to have ended the program.

He described the situation as a “stark contrast” to President Tinubu’s previous assertions during a national broadcast, where the President had claimed that the subsidy regime had been conclusively terminated.

“However, disclosures prior to his announcement have consistently indicated a resurgence of subsidy payments, albeit through less transparent means,” Atiku said.

According to Atiku, the President’s dissonance between words and actions not only undermines the moral fabric of his leadership but also significantly erodes his administration’s credibility.

The former Vice President also criticised the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited for its persistent denials regarding the continuation of subsidy payments.

He argued that these denials only exacerbate the hardships faced by Nigerians, who are dealing with fuel shortages and the resulting price inflation.

Atiku added that Tinubu’s silence amidst a growing dispute between local investors advocating for refinery operations and those supporting the importation of PMS is profoundly disconcerting.

He, however, called on President Tinubu to take responsibility for overseeing and resolving these critical disputes to protect national interests.

Atiku partly stated, “Moreover, the persistent denials by NNPC Limited only exacerbate the plight of Nigerians, who endure severe difficulties due to fuel shortages and resultant price inflation. Amidst a contentious dispute between local investors favouring refinery operations and those advocating for imported PMS, the President’s silence is profoundly disconcerting.

“It is paramount that the President, who is intrinsically responsible for overseeing and intervening in such critical disputes to safeguard national interests, steps up to fulfil these expectations. The veil of secrecy shrouding the downstream petroleum sector, coupled with alarming reports of NNPC Limited diverting funds intended for other purposes to cover subsidy payments, adds layers of confusion that are unbearably unsettling.

“If these reports hold true, they portend grave implications for the integrity of our fiscal federalism. It is imperative, therefore, that the Tinubu administration urgently clarifies the entanglements surrounding the subsidy policy and the refining of PMS. Only through transparent governance can Nigerians hope to find relief from the current debilitating conditions of fuel scarcity and the spiralling inflation affecting petroleum products.”