*Give Buhari seven days ultimatum
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Three northern groups have vowed to shutdown the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and the Petroleum Products Price Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, over the recent increase in the pump price of PMS from N123 to N143.80.
The groups namely; Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, Arewa Youth Assembly and the Intellectual Young Leaders Network, described the hike as insensitivity of the Federal Government, following the current economic realities in the country.
Leaders of the groups in a joint statement accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration of losing touch with reality and connection with basic human pain and suffering in the country, hence the decision to hike the price of PMS back to almost N145 again.
The statement was signed by Isah Abubakar, National President of Northern Youth Council of Nigeria; Mohammed Danlami, Speaker of Arewa Youth Assembly; and Salahudeen Lukman, Convener of Intellectual Young Leaders Network.
“The government has continue to ride on people’s emotion and faith. Fuel was hiked from N87 to N145 not long when the APC took over power in 2015, we allowed it at that time because we taught the government have good intentions but with the way things had went and manner things are going,
“It’s unfortunate that amidst this COVID 19 pandemic and its economy effect, Buhari led administration could be this insensitive by increasing pump price.
“This is totally unacceptable. we reject this anti masses policy of President Muhammadu Buhari government. Outrightly, we can’t fold our arms again to allow such a sacrilege to happen.
PPPRA hikes fuel price to N143.80 per litre
“While we are assure Mr President that if this price is not reverse within 7 days counting from today, we shall mobilize Nigerian youth in mass to shut down NNPC headquarters and the PPPRA headquarters simultaneously in Abuja.”
The Northern youth groups said President Buhari must learn how to listen to the masses as well consider critical pain Nigerians are passing through on daily basis with the current hike in pump price of PMS.
They lamented that the increase in the pump price of PMS will witness high rate of crime and commodity price hike.
“The nonchalant attitude to the plight of the common man by Buhari led administration is alarming, despite no government have ever enjoyed enough good will of the people like this administration.
“It’s so ugly and very disheartening, following the current economic reality with hardship, pain, hunger and insecurity that President Buhari led Presidency have inflicted on Nigerians, its completely an act of irresponsibility and insensitivity for federal government to increase PMS Pump price at this very critical trying time in the country and globe.”