Reverse petrol pump price, SERAP, APC chief tell Tinubu

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, have called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to reverse the “apparently illegal and unconstitutional increase in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS).”

They also urged the President to address the hardship in the land. SERAP urged the President to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and anti-corruption agencies to probe allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPCL, including the spending of the reported $300 million ‘bailout funds’ collected from the Federal Government in August 2024, and the $6 billion debt it owes suppliers, despite allegedly failing to remit oil revenues to the treasury.

In an open letter at the weekend, signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said the increase in petrol price constituted a fundamental breach of constitutional guarantees and the country’s international human rights obligations.

The body lamented that Nigerians had for far too long been denied justice and the opportunity to get to the bottom of why they continued to pay the price for corruption in the oil sector.

SERAP said: “Rather than pursuing public policies to address the growing poverty and inequality in the country, and holding the NNPC to account for the alleged corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector, your government seems to be punishing the poor.”

Similarly, Oyintiloye in his comments, implored Tinubu to explore measures aimed at alleviating the challenges of Nigerians. He said it had become imperative to mitigate the effects of the Federal Government policies on the citizenry, thus saving the people from further hardship.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Osogbo, Oyintiloye, who once represented Obokun State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, said it was mandatory for President to act fast and employ strategies that would bring instant reprieve.

He maintained that the economic hardship the masses were going through due to the increase in pump prices of petrol, had culminated in the increase in prices of food stuffs, high electricity tariff, cost of cooking gas, among others, making life unbearable for Nigerians.

Oyintiloye lamented that the recent increment in the pump price of petroleum worsened the hardship Nigerian masses faced, saying: “Nigerians are hopeful that there will be positive turn around in the country, but measures to achieve this must be accelerated.”