Fuel Scarcity: Buhari Given 78 Hours Ultimatum Before Mass Protest Begins

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Civil Society Coalition for Economic Well-being and Good Governance have issued a 78 hour ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to end fuel scarcity or face mass protest.

The group stated that after careful observation they realized that some chief executives of the government who owned Nigeria National Petroleum Limited were responsible for the endless fuel scarcity. They subsequently called for the sack of Group Managing Director GMD, of NNPCL, Mele Kyari.

In a communique issued after a one day meeting on Wednesday and made available to journalists on Thursday in Abuja, the Coalition  also demanded that Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipreye Sylva be relieved of his duties within 78 hours for failure to rectify the fuel situation in the country, adding that lack of compliance would lead to mass protest.

The communique which was signed by Mr Garba Danzi, Chairman, Ayodele Hughes, Secretary-General and two other executives lamented the difficulty faced by Nigerians over lingering fuel scarcity across the 36 States of the country and the Federal Capital Territory.

The communique reads in part: “The Coalition which comprises 34 organisations have their leaders represented at the meeting. The Coalition noted with sadness difficulty being faced by the citizens occasioned by endless fuel scarcity despite promises by the president Muhammadu Buhari administration to tackle the ugly situation and resolved as follows:

“That the Coalition issues a 78 hour ultimatum for the Federal government to end fuel scarcity by ensuring sufficient Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and gasoline at all retail outlets across the country.

“That the Coalition call on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Limited (NNPL), Mr Mele Abba Kyari within 78 hours.

“That the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipreye Sylva be sacked within 78 hours as the Coalition reasonably believed that both officials have failed in their statutory responsibilities, thus, leading to untold hardship on Nigerians.

“That failure on part of the Federal government to take prompt action and put measures in place for availability of fuel and subsequent disappearance of queues, the coalition would mobilise citizens from 36 States of the Federation and FCT to occupy the NNPL towers in the Central Business District, Abuja in protest.”