A northern Nigeria based group, Coalition of Concerned Northern Forum (CCNF), who had issued a 72hour ultimatum threatening mass action if the top management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) did not resign, has recanted their position and withdrawn their threat.
In their threat letter signed by the chairman, Ibrahim Bature, and the spokesperson, Abdulsalam Kazeem, in Kaduna on Sunday accused the management of the NNPC of complicity in the importation of the toxic petrol, and asked them to resign en masse of face street action
But in a twist yesterday, called in with a press release, withdrawing their threat, saying there had been misgivings and misreading of their demands, “especially by those who profit from crisis situations, for the removal of the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kolo Kyari” and the prosecution of importers involved in the contaminated fuel.
The CCNF had actually named Kyari and Engr. Farouk Ahmed, the chief executive officer of Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (MDPRA) to tender their resignation within 72 hours over the persistent fuel scarcity in the country.
The group had also demanded the NNPC management to make public comprehensive names of companies involved in the petrol importation that caused the problem.
The group said last night, “It has become inevitable to put the records straight that our position has no political affiliation or influence nor been sponsored by any individual or groups. Our call was borne out of patriotism over the hardship occasioned by the scarcity of premium motor spirit and the huge economic impact of the bad fuel at a time government is battling with dwindling revenue.”
The release yesterday signed by its chairman and spokesman, Mallam Ibrahim Bature and Comrade Abdulsalam Moh’d Kazeem, said it now calls for a thorough investigation as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari and urged security agencies to conclude the probe in good time and sanction all those responsible.
They commended the management of the NNPC Ltd for taking prompt action by alerting the nation on the bad fuel and for taking measured steps to recall the bad product and injecting over 700 million litres and the promise of additional 2.1billion litres to address the shortfall.
They also called on regulators in the downstream oil sector, as well as security agencies ensure that fuel stations sell at the maximum installed capacity, adding that in the event any station is found to be sabotaging the government’s effort, the product be dispensed free to motorists and such station sealed.
“We withdraw our notice for the sack of the NNPC management and nationwide protest but remain committed to the sanctioning of the importing companies and their officials,” the release concluded.
It lamented the attempts by certain special interests to hijack their demand and use their position to blackmail the present NNPC management over the current artificial PMS scarcity occasioned by marketers dispensing fewer pumps at a time.
By Chidi Ekpewerechi
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