Aloof Buhari apologises for fuel scarcity 6 weeks after the fact
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Muhammadu Buhari – the aloof and irresponsible President who rules Nigeria like a feudal Northern emir who is never accountable – has apologised over fuel scarcity and the collapse of power supply, both caused by his deliberate negligence.
The apology came as an afterthought, six weeks after the fact.
Yet he doubles as Petroleum Minister, a job he has assigned to himself since he won Aso Rock in 2015 (so as to approve oil blocs, the juicy ones mostly for Northerners, who own 95 per cent of the most lucrative oil blocs in the Deep South).
Again, Buhari did not apologise personally in his own words. He spoke through one of his false prophets who prop him up for filthy lucre.
Even if he had addressed Nigerians directly on national television, “apology” without repentance and change of heart for good is meaningless. Apology gives him cover to continue in his lazy and negligent ways – to afflict Nigerians.
Buhari is a hypocrite and a cruel heart.
He has lied to, deceived, and wasted Nigeria and Nigerians for seven years running. He is an affliction. Worse, he gets his kicks from, and revels in, the groans and the moans of the afflicted.
But Buhari does not own Nigeria. And the North does not own the South. They are simply Gibeonites. Their time shall pass, soon.
And, in the future, the Biblical children of God shall fully and finally separate from the snare and the affliction of the Biblical Gibeonites. Then the children of God shall have their peace in God.
Fuel troubles
Petrol began to get scarce in early February after motorists noticed that imported adulterated fuel was damaging their vehicles. Scarcity has led to a rise in pump price from between N162 and N165 per litre to between N170 and N600.
Higher import costs and hoarding led to the scarcity of diesel last week. The price has jumped from N224.9 per litre in January to N545 in early March, and now goes for between N700 and N780.
Aviation fuel is edging towards N700 per litre, and it will further raise airfares which leapt 100 per cent in February, with a one-way ticket from Lagos and Abuja costing an average N50,000 upon the rise in jet fuel to N450 per litre.
Unstable power supply has been forever.
It got worse last week. This week, the national grid collapsed twice within 72 hours, announced by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Buhari has been missing in action in all of this.
Yet he could not stoop low from his high perch to offer his apology personally, choosing – as usual – to address his “subjects” through one of his spokesmen who travel with him and collect generous estacode that spurs them to justify his failings.
Buhari abandons leadership
Buhari has embarked on needless overseas travel five times this year alone, three of them in the thick of fuel scarcity grounding Nigeria.
His itinerary so far in 2022 traverses
The Gambia –Wednesday 19 January (one day)
Ethiopia – Thursday 3 February to Monday 7 February (five days)
Belgium – Tuesday 15 February to Saturday 19 February (five days)
Kenya – Tuesday 1 March to 4 Friday March (four days)
United Kingdom – Sunday 6 March. For medical check up expected to last two weeks
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Related articles:
Buhari runs away for 3 weeks amid fuel scarcity
Fuel sells for N600 pl. Scarcity worsens. Buhari is missing
Diesel pump price jumps 122% to N640 per litre
Airfares brace for further rise upon N700 pl aviation fuel
TCN repeats the sins of NEPA to justify escalated blackouts
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Media keeps a tab on him
By 4 March 2022, Buhari had junketed to 134 times to 40 countries where he spent 322 days.
He spent 200 out of the 322 days on medical tourism in the UK, according to a tally by PREMIUM TIMES.
When he returns from his latest medical sojourn, he would chalk up one more trip to one country where he spent about 14 days.
His foreign medical tourism, which costs the treasury millions of dollars per trip, is needless and wasteful. There would not have been any need for it if he had upgraded medical facilities at home as he promised on the campaign trail in 2015.
Daily Trust knocked Buhari for his junkets in an editorial on 10 December 2021 which still echoes widespread criticism of his wastefulness.
“On cost-benefit terms, the dividends of President Buhari’s visits have not been as spectacular as Nigerians expected. We are yet to see the direct foreign investments translate into jobs for our unemployed young men and women,” Daily Trust wrote.
Buhari failed to take heed of the counsel given by Daily Trust to stop his reckless conduct, sit up, and lead the country in good governance.
So, The PUNCH doubled down on the irresponsible man in its own editorial on 10 March 2022.
“Insensitive as ever, … Buhari … jetted out to the United Kingdom for yet another ‘medical check-up’ amid a crippling petrol scarcity and other national crises.
“He had just returned from Nairobi, Kenya, where he had, ridiculously, gone to attend the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environmental Programme!
“His insouciance contrasts sharply with the selfless leadership of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, whose bravery in the middle of a military invasion by Russian forces has riveted global attention,” The PUNCH wrote.
“Junketing abroad for minor engagements or personal comfort while millions suffer and the country is imperilled, as Buhari often does, is reprehensible.
“In the seven years that he has superintended over Africa’s most populous country, he has left no one in doubt that his interests and comfort are paramount.
“He demonstrates this by frequently travelling abroad, even as the country slips further into state failure. His latest display of aloofness dismays many, but surprises very few.”
Buhari’s excuses for his failings
“I deeply regret the inconvenience caused Nigerians, following a prolonged shortage of petroleum products, something that our administration has successfully averted in our seven years in office,” Buhari said in an online statement issued on Wednesday night by his spokesman Garba Shehu.
“The administration knows the fuel shortage has placed a strain on Nigerian citizens and businesses, but relief is on the way. I especially apologise to all sections of society for this.
“The government is working round the clock to attend to this issue. An action plan agreed upon earlier this month is being implemented to address the scarcity.
“Working together with the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), this plan is now bearing fruit.
“Sufficient fuel supply has returned to a handful of states, with the queues at stations falling. In the coming days, we expect this to be the case across the rest of the country.
“Looking to the longer term, funds are being targeted toward keeping fuel availability affordable for the country.
“The international energy markets have surged drastically in recent months, the government will however ensure that consumers are protected against these price spikes ….
“I have received information that some people are not behaving properly at the depots and among owners of petrol stations, and in this regard, I have directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the NNPC and the entire security apparatus of the nation to take strong action against those responsible.
Power supply
“The blackouts seen in the national grid are also being addressed.
“A dip in hydroelectric generation due to seasonal pressures has coincided with technical and supply problems at thermal stations.
“On this, the government is also working tirelessly to resolve the issues at the latter to guarantee sufficient power flows into the national grid.
“We have identified the main challenge as being one of low gas-power generation as a result of sabotage of gas pipelines, leading to the shutdown of power plants. This in addition to ongoing routine maintenance on other gas power plants.”
Buhari said actions being taken have been agreed between the players in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), with a target to recover more than 1,000 megawatts (mw).
“So far, the restoration to the grid of 375MW has been achieved, following successful repairs to a critical pipeline.
“I am pleased to add that a USD 50 million gas supply agreement is being finalised to secure the availability and sustainability of up to 800MW of underutilised National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) capacity.”
