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Marketers Report Petrol Supply Delays Due To NNPC Portal Shutdown
Marketers Report Petrol Supply Delays Due To NNPC Portal Shutdown. Oil marketers have said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited portal used to purchase petrol has been shut against dealers, making it impossible for them to apply for the commodity purchase.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
They said marketers are still awaiting over 90 million litres of petrol from the state-owned company. This is valued at about N79bn.
Nevo News recalls that amid marketers’ complaints over their inability to order petrol, the NNPC confirmed the shutdown of its purchasing portal to our correspondent last month, giving its reasons.
According to NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, the company shut the portal due to a significant backlog.
Soneye explained that the shutdown became necessary to stop NNPC from holding marketers’ capital for too long.
“We have a significant backlog to address. The closure is intended to prevent us from holding marketers’ funds for an extended period,” Soneye had explained.
He, however, assured marketers that the portal would be reopened after the backlog had been reduced.
“It will be reopened once the backlog has been sufficiently reduced. We are working to address it as soon as possible,” he told our correspondent.
Marketers who spoke with our correspondent confirmed that NNPC was expediting actions to clear the backlogs as of the weekend.
Though NNPC did not disclose the value of the ‘huge backlogs’, independent marketers said they have over 2,000 tickets yet to be cleared with NNPC.
In an interview, the National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, said the association is still waiting for the portal’s opening.
“They are on it, our marketers are still loading petrol from the NNPC. I can’t confirm the price now because the portal is still shut down.
“We have more than 2,000 tickets for 45,000 litres (of petrol). That is 45,000 multiplied by 2,000, you can now know the number of million litres it will be. This is just an estimate, you know I don’t work with NNPC and I don’t know what is on their system,” Ukadike stated.
He disclosed that a 45,000-litre truckload of PMS is around N39.5m, making N79bn when multiplied by 2,000.
NNPC’s handling of petrol supply challenges commendable — Jonathan’s ex-spokesman
The Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria also confirmed that its members could not access the NNPC purchasing portal.
PETROAN President, Billy Gillis-Harry, confirmed this in a phone conversation with our correspondent.
“The portal shutdown affects us too, we are all buying from NNPC,” he said briefly.
Meanwhile, the marketers noted that they have since been patronising private depot owners, who sell petrol to them at a premium.
This, they said, informed why the product is more expensive in their filling stations than in outlets owned by the NNPC and the major marketers.
Our correspondent gathered that the marketers usually bid for PMS through the NNPC portal.
According to them, payments will be made through the same channel while the marketer waits for months to get the product.
Independent marketers told Nevo News that they paid for petrol but were not supplied after three months.
During an interview with Nevo News in January, the National Vice President of IPMAN, Hammed Fashola, made a similar allegation which was denied by Soneye.
Fashola had asked the Federal Government to review the current distribution pattern to give priority to IPMAN members.
Fashola said, “We buy products from NNPC cash and carry. We don’t enjoy any credit facility with the NNPC. There are times when we pay for products, and you don’t get the products for two or three months. You have your money in the coffers of NNPC, which means they are trading with our money.
“If I am not exaggerating, we should be talking of over N300bn, when you consider the number of marketers all over Nigeria. Our money is always there, trapped, while we keep struggling to get fuel. The three days will turn into months if they don’t have products or they are out of stock, you have to wait, and your money will be there.”
At the moment, the marketers said they want to buy petrol directly from Dangote to ensure price parity.
The National Vice-Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-East, Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu, has maintained that there is no constitutional provision preventing Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, from contesting the Imo West senatorial seat in the 2027 elections while still serving as governor.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
News reports that Arodiogbu, who also serves as the South-East Co-Zonal Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, made the clarification while responding to arguments questioning the governor’s eligibility.
He cited Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution, which states that “the Governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.”
According to him, the provision only prohibits a sitting governor from occupying two offices simultaneously and does not prevent the person from seeking a party nomination, contesting or winning another election.
Arodiogbu also referenced Section 68(1)(f) of the Constitution, which requires a lawmaker to vacate his legislative seat upon assuming an executive position.
He argued that the provision recognises the possibility of moving between executive and legislative offices, provided the two positions are not held at the same time.
He said, “There is no constitutional impediment against Senator Hope Uzodinma’s aspiration. The Constitution does not require a sitting governor to resign merely because he desires to contest another election. What it forbids is dual occupancy of offices.
“Should he win the senatorial election, he would resign as Governor before taking the oath of office as a Senator. That is the clear position of the law.”
The APC chieftain further stated that appellate courts, in interpreting Sections 66, 107, 137, 182 and 183 of the Constitution, had held that resignation was only necessary when a candidate was about to assume a new office.
He added that no provision of the Electoral Act imposes a general restriction on a sitting governor seeking election into the Senate.
Arodiogbu also argued that Uzodimma’s tenure, which is expected to end in January 2028, does not constitute a legal obstacle, insisting that any transition would be carried out in accordance with the Constitution after the inauguration of the new National Assembly.
He said, “The law is clear, the Constitution is clear, and the judicial authorities support this position.
“Those peddling the contrary view are either deliberately misinterpreting the Constitution or attempting to create political distraction. Senator Hope Uzodinma remains free to pursue his legitimate political aspiration without any constitutional disability.”
He reaffirmed the APC’s support for Uzodimma as its candidate for the Imo West senatorial seat and urged party members to disregard what he described as speculative legal arguments.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja had, on October 29, ruled that former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, won the APC senatorial primary for the district.
The Imo State Government has indicated that it would appeal the judgment.
Human rights activist and chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Aisha Yesufu, has vowed that the party will adopt a tougher approach ahead of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Yesufu declared that the NDC would be both refined and rugged, insisting that no group or individual had a “monopoly of madness.”
She warned that the party would not tolerate intimidation or attacks against its members, adding that supporters would stand their ground whenever they were threatened.
Naija News reports that she made the declaration on Thursday following an attack on NDC supporters ahead of the party’s town hall meeting at the Classic Event Centre in the Oregun area of Lagos State.
According to Yesufu, the political campaign was not solely about the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, but belonged to everyone supporting the movement.
She said, “In 2023 we were refined, in 2027 we will be refined and rugged. Nobody has monopoly of madness and anybody wey say him dey crase we go send am go psychiatric hospital. We are not slaves, we are citizens. This campaign is not Peter Gregory Obi campaign, it is our campaign.”
Recall that the NDC town hall meeting in Oregun, Lagos State, turned violent after suspected political thugs invaded the venue and attacked party supporters.
According to The Cable, the attackers, who were armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones, disrupted the event and forced participants to flee for safety.
Chairs and other items at the venue were reportedly scattered during the attack.
The incident allegedly left some supporters injured and several vehicles damaged. A journalist covering the event was also reportedly assaulted, while his recording equipment was taken.
The confrontation later spread to Kudirat Abiola Way, disrupting traffic before police operatives arrived and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The Zamfara State Commissioner for Commerce, Tasiu Musa Shinkafi, has died at the age of 50.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Shinkafi reportedly passed away on Wednesday in Kaduna State following a brief illness.
News reports that Governor Dauda Lawal announced the commissioner’s death in a statement issued through his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris.
Reacting to the development, Lawal expressed sadness over the loss, describing Shinkafi’s death as an irreparable loss to the state government and the people of Zamfara.
The governor noted that the late commissioner’s contributions to governance, politics and public service would remain memorable.
He said, “With heavy hearts and in total submission to the will of Almighty Allah (T), we received the shocking news of the passing of the Commissioner for Commerce, Tasiu Musa Shinkafi.
“Tasiu’s death is a great loss not only to his family and the state government, but also to the people of Zamfara.
“He will be remembered for his dedication, honesty, and commitment to Zamfara State.
“He served diligently as Commissioner for Youth and Sport before being redeployed to the Ministry of Commerce.
“As a valued member of my administration and a brother in service, his contributions to governance, politics, and public service will be remembered.
“May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and give his family the strength to bear this great loss.”
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