People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain and former House of Representatives candidate of the party in Ekiti State, Lere Olayinka, has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mr Mele Kolo Kyari, over the unending scarcity of petrol in the country.

Olayinka, a Media Aide to the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, described as funny and laughable, the claim by the NNPCL that rain, lightning and thunderstorm were responsible for the fuel scarcity, asking when rains, lightening and thunderstorms started causing fuel scarcity in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.

The entire country is faced with a severe fuel shortage, with most parts of the country experiencing the scarcity for more than two months. In most parts of the country, Nigerians are buying petrol at exorbitant prices, ranging from ₦1,200.00 to ₦1,500.00 per litre.

In a press conference in Abuja, NNPCL’s Vice-President (Downstream), Dapo Segun, blamed the fuel scarcity on recent rains, lightning, and thunderstorms.

In his reaction, Olayinka, said in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, that such excuse coming from the NNPCL was a clear sign that those managing the affairs of the organization lacked clue as to solutions to the persistent fuel scarcity.

He said: "Before, Nigerians used to hear dry season as excuse for lack of electricity. Now, it is rains, lightening and thunderstorms as an excuse for lack of fuel. What a shame!

“This, to me, is the height of demonstration of cluelessness by Mele Kyari and his team, and in the interest of Nigerians who are bearing the pains of this over two months of fuel scarcity, President Tinubu should show the NNPCL GMD and his team the exit door so that competent people can be appointed to run the affairs of the organization.”

Describing Mele Kyari, as “Mr Promise and Fail,” Olayinka said; “When he took office in 2019, he boasted that all the country’s four refineries will be made to work before the end of President Buhari’s govt in 2023.

“This is 2024, not a single of the four refineries is working. How can the same Mele Kyari still be directing the affairs of NNPCL?

“Methinks President Tinubu needs to show his seriousness about fixing Nigeria, by weeding the NNPCL of this obviously incompetent management team led by Mele Kyari.”

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