Protest Rocks Nat’l Assembly Abuja Amid Calls for Sack of Top Public Official, Details Emerge
- The Nigerian Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (NICOCSO) protested at the national assembly, Abuja, on Friday, November 8
- The group protested over the impasse between the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Dangote Refinery and other challenges in the Nigerian oil sector
- According to the coalition, that the Dangote-NNPCL rift negatively affects the daily lives of ordinary Nigerians
TheTalk.NG journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja – The Nigerian Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, on Friday, November 8, called for immediate investigations into alleged sabotage against ‘the plan to turn around’ the petroleum refineries in the country.
As reported by The Punch, the group asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately sack Mele Kyari, the group chief executive officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
For illustration purposes only. Depicted persons have no relationship to the events described in this material.
Photo credit: Kola SulaimonSource: Getty Images
Daily Trust also noted the development.
The protesters stated that “incompetent leadership,” skyrocketing petrol prices, endless queues, and economic hardship plaguing the nation are reasons for their demand.
In a protest rally at the national assembly complex, Abuja, on Friday, November 8, the group lamented that policies formulated by the NNPCL to ‘reposition the oil sector’ are merely profit-driven but “obstructs local initiatives designed to support energy self-sufficiency and job creation.”
Segun Adebayo, the national spokesperson of the group, said:
“We know President Tinubu loves Nigeria and wants the best for Nigeria; hence, we urge him to caution the NNPCL leadership, led by Mele Kyari, to avoid policies that could lead Nigeria into further economic crises.
“The president should immediately authorise an investigation into this cabal’s activities within the fuel sector to uncover and expose any malicious manipulation or corruption.”
The group also called for the sack of the NNPCL’s boss, threatening to take the protest to the 36 states of the federation if their demand was not met.
Furthermore, they lamented the periodical fuel scarcity, saying it not only undermines public confidence but also adversely affects the reputation of the presidency and its renewed hope agenda.
The protesters criticised Kyari’s management for failing to operationalise local refineries, despite the federal government’s $4 billion investment.
Christian youths urge Tinubu to sack Kyari
Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that the Christian Youth Forum of Nigeria (CYFN) called for Kyari’s sack.
The group accused Kyari of subsidy scams, importation of substandard petroleum products, and mismanagement of the Port Harcourt Refinery.
Source: TheTalk.NG
