NEW PMS: WE WARNED NIGERIANS - FAYOSE

Fuel: We warned Nigerians - Fayose *Now, we're at the mercy of liars

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has fired the first salvo at the Federal Government for the sudden increase of Premium Motor Spirit from N86.50 to N145 per litre, saying Nigerians were warned about what was coming to them with the lies of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Describing it as insensitive and demonstration of the level of hatred President Mohammadu Buhari and the APC government had for Nigerians, the governor accused the government of deliberately setting up the atmosphere that led to the increase.

The federal government announced the new pump price came less than 24 hours after Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, announced that a new subsidy policy will soon be unveiled.

“We share the pains of Nigerians but, as we have constantly said, the inherited difficulties of the past and the challenges of the current times imply that we must take difficult decisions on these sorts of critical national issues,” Kachikwu said in a statement issued at the end of a meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja on Wednesday.

The governor, who said the over 70 per cent increment was another vindication of his predictions on what to expect in 2016, added that it was now clear that the scarcity of petrol being experienced in the last three months was deliberately orchestrated by the federal government to pave way for the already conceived increment.

Lamenting that “Nigerians are now left at the mercy of political liars who took over power by deception and are governing by deceit,” Fayose said in a statement by his spokesman that he was waiting for the reaction of those who took to the streets to protest when fuel subsidy was removed by the Dr Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2012, urging labour unions in the country to stand by their members always, not minding the political party in government.

His words: “When they were seeking for votes from Nigerians, they promised to reduce petrol pump price to from N87 to N45 per litre, they promised to create three million jobs per year, they said $1 will be equal to N1 and above all, they promised to pay unemployed youths N5, 000 stipend and provide one meal a day to pupils nationwide.

“Instead of fulfilling their promises, they have increased petrol pump price to N145 per litre, increased electricity tariffs, retrenched thousands of workers and imposed untold hardships on Nigerians.

“As they did in 2012, if labour leaders do not also stand up for the people at this time, posterity will not forgive them.”

Kachikwu had said: “Along with this decision, the federal government has in the 2016 budget made an unprecedented social protection provision to cushion the current challenges.

“The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) will be announcing a new price band effective today, 11th May, 2016 and that the new price for PMS will not be above N145 per litre.

“We expect that this new policy will lead to improved supply and competition and eventually drive down pump prices, as we have experienced with diesel. In addition, this will also lead to increased product availability and encourage investments in refineries and other parts of the downstream sector. It will also prevent diversion of petroleum products and set a stable environment for the downstream sector in Nigeria.

“We believe in the long term, that improved supply and competition will drive down prices.”