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Petrol Price Increases By N9/Litre At Private Depots

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Private Depots have hiked their Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, petrol price from N148/litre to N157/litre.

The increase has discouraged the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, members from buying or lifting the products from private depots.

According to the IPMAN National Vice President Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, the N9/litre difference, which is about a 6.08% increase, has culminated in gradual withdrawal of sales.

He explained that the marketers are reluctant to lift the product since the Federal Government would not allow them to sell above the regulated band of between N162-N165 per litre.

It has given room to skeletal traces of petrol scarcity in some retail outlets, he said.

Maigandi however added that IPMAN has opted to meet the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Regulatory Authority, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Engr. Ahmed Farouk.

He revealed to The Nation that the association would ask the Authority to grant members of the association direct product allocations instead of allowing them to depend on a third party.

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Maigandi also noted that IPMAN would ask the Authority to pay the outstanding debt that the defunct PEF owes the marketers.

He stated that the Fund owes each marketer up to seven months debts.

The National Vice President, who was asked whether the new Midstream & Upstream Regulatory Agency management had invited IPMAN to any meeting, said: “Up till now we didn’t see him.

“But we have the intention of going to see him probably this week. So, by this week we are going there because the situation is seriously changing.”

Continuing, he revealed: “If you go round you will see the queues have started developing because the private depot owners have raised their prices.

“They are now selling at N156-157/litre instead of N148/litre. That difference is scaring marketers from buying the product since if they come they will be forced to sell the product at a government-regulated rate. And that is not possible.

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“The CEO should try and do something about it hence there will be scarcity.

“We are going to tell him (the CEO) that the government should quickly pay us the outstanding debt with Petroleum Equalization Fund.

“This is because PEF owes each marketer up to seven months. This is a huge amount of money. It is over N50 billion as you have reported.

“Secondly, the government should be giving independent marketers their direct allocation instead of allowing them to be taken from a third party. We want it the way they have been giving to the Major Marketers.

“So, the independent marketers also want it directly from the source instead of going through a third party.”

But the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, allayed fears of a shortage of products.

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Economy

Budget controversy: Senate attacks PDP, Yar’Adua replaces Ningi

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Budget controversy: Senate attacks PDP, Yar’Adua replaces Ningi

The Spokesman for the Senate, Yemi Adaramodu, has berated the Peoples Democratic Party for calling for the resignation of the Senate President, Senator GodsWill Akpabio, over the unfounded claim ofN3.7tn budget padding.

The budget padding allegation was raised by the PDP senator representing Bauchi Central, Senator Abdul Ningi.

Ningi, in a media interview, claimed that while the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year was N25tn, the one being executed by the Presidency was N28.7tn.

However, at the plenary on Tuesday, the Senate took Ningi on to defend the allegation, at the end of which he was slammed with a three-month suspension for damaging the image of the Red Chamber over what senators decided was an unfounded allegation.

On Wednesday, the PDP knocked Ningi’s suspension, calling on Akpabio to resign as Senate President to pave the way for an independent investigation into the budget padding allegation.

“The Peoples Democratic Party demands that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately step aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7tn was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.

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“The party also demands that Senator Akpabio immediately reports to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the pending case of alleged looting of N108bn belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State under his watch as the governor of the state,” the PDP said in a statement by its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba.

However, reacting on Thursday, the Chairman of, the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adaramodu, knocked the PDP.

He said, “The PDP has elevated chicanery to statecraft and fatally failed in their sordid attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting public, on the ineffectual but spurious allegations of budget padding.

“The party’s ludicrous call for the resignation of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President is unthinkable and shows the party as a massaging balm for falsehood and immoral legislative outbursts.

Adaramosu stressed that Akpabio would not resign.

Meanwhile, All Progressives Congress Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua representing  Katsina Central has replaced Ningi as the Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum.

Ningi immediately resigned from the position following his suspension by the Senate.

Yar’Adua ‘s emergence as the new Chairman of the NSF was a sequel to unanimous endorsement to that effect by senators across the three geo-political zones in the North.

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The Northern Senators also appointed Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno North) as Publicity Secretary of the forum, a position held by Senator Summaila Kawu (NNPP Kano South) when Ningi was the chairman.

It is unclear if Kawu resigned too or if he was impeached following the crisis at the Red Chamber on Tuesday.

Addressing the press after he emerges as the New Chairman of NSF,  Yar’Adua said the major objective of the Northern Forum was to promote the interest of Nigeria first followed by the development of the North through collaboration with their counterparts from the South and cooperating with the executive arm of government to ensure that the challenges of the region were attended to.

Yar’Adua said,

“We Shall, therefore, work in consultation with our distinguished colleagues to preserve the unity and progress of our dear nation.

“In advancing these noble objectives, I am committed to streamlined activities within the Northern Senators Forum.

“We shall operate with transparency, accountability, and integrity, upholding the trust placed on us by the electorate.“

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Business & Finance

Cable cuts: Operators working to restore connectivity, says NCC

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Cable cuts: Operators working to restore connectivity, says NCC

The Nigeria Communications Commission has confirmed that several African internet service providers faced outages due to submarine cable cuts, with cable operators actively engaged in efforts to restore connectivity.

The telecom regulator made this disclosure in a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, on Thursday.

The NCC identified affected operators to include West African Cable System and African Coast to Europe, along with SAT3 and MainOne, which experienced downtime.

The regulator attributed the disruptions to incidents in Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal, resulting in subsequent disruptions in Portugal.

The commission noted similar challenges along other undersea cable routes, such as Seacom, Europe India Gateway, and Asia-Africa-Europe 1, which also experienced cuts.

The regulator stated, ” Similar undersea cables providing traffic from Europe to the East Coast of Africa, like Seacom, Europe India Gateway, and Asia-Africa-Europe 1, were said to have been cut at some point around the Red Sea, resulting in the degradation of services across these routes.”

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Many subscribers on Thursday expressed frustrations on social media platforms, citing difficulties in making phone calls and accessing online services.

Despite the setbacks, the NCC assured the public that cable operators have initiated repair efforts, with services gradually being restored.

The commission stated, “Operators of these cables have commenced repairs already, and services are gradually being restored. They have promised to work around the clock to ensure that services are restored to the affected countries within the shortest possible time.

“It is important to bring this information to the knowledge of corporations and consumers on these services.”
Earlier, MTN Nigeria, the leading telecommunications provider in the country, acknowledged the situation and appealed to its subscribers.

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The company also assured them that it is making efforts to resolve the issue and restore services as quickly as possible.
A few weeks ago, a similar issue occurred where major operators across the country, including MTN, Airtel, and 9mobile, grappled with a widespread network connection crisis.

The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, told The PUNCH that the connectivity issue was due to significant fibre cuts made by road contractors employed by the Federal Government.

The ALTON chairman said, “There have been significant fibre cuts across the country, and this has impacted connectivity today, but efforts are being made by affected telecom operators to rectify this situation.”

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Economy

Lagos Police probe officer caught extorting motorist

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Lagos Police probe officer caught extorting motorist

The Lagos State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the extortion of a motorist by one of its officers, ASP Luka Bashayi of the Ogudu Area Command on Saturday.

A video which went viral on X on Saturday showed the policeman telling the driver of the car,

“Make am N10,000, sharp sharp and go now” as the driver replied, “I no get.”

The officer was also heard calling out some digits in the video.

The caption read, “Very hardworking Nigeria police officer, “do sharp sharp and go nw” u know the matter😅😅😭😭 #Princemoye1 see ur men.”

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Commenting on the video, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, wrote, “This is not allowed, so shameful. It’s condemned. We need more info about this. We will fish him out.”

Giving updates on the issue, the Lagos State Police PRO, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that the command’s Complaint Response Unit have started investigations on the matter.

He wrote, “We will not gloss over this. He is ASP Luka Bashayi, serving at Ogudu Area Command.

“Meanwhile, #Lagos_PoliceCRU has commenced actions on this.”

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