N100/litre PMS: DPR to stop subsidy claim of errant marketers

.IPMAN attributes long queues to supply shortage

.. Indicts Depot owners  of selling above N87

By Oluwagbenga Bankole

The Department of Petroleum Resources ( DPR) has vowed to deny errant marketers selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)  above N87 per litre of access to Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) scheme for reimbursement of subsidy claims. The prevailing N100 per litre  by filling stations according to Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) was  however attributed on shortage of supply by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and sales above N87 per litre ex depot price.

At a meeting organized by Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) with officials of Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and IPMAN, officials of IPMAN who were the only marketers present at the meeting also accused DAPPMA of selling above the N87 regulated price at their depots, particularly in the Western Zone.

 The representative of the Director of DPR who is also the Head, Downstream Monitoring and Regulation Mr. Maigida Mudei said that the  truth of the matter is that all the PMS sold in the country either from NNPC or DAPPMA is part of the Petroleum Support Fund(PSF).

Mudei categorically stated that henceforth if for any reason it is known to them that any petrol station is selling above the pump price, the depot that sold the product will be forced to withdraw from the PSF

He said: " I can never accept these complains as a reason for selling PMS above regulated price. For those who don't know, whatever source you get PMS in the country, it is link to the subsidy. You have never written to DPR about  this your complain. IPMAN in some other region have complained and action was taken by DPR. We know the product is not available, but the few you have is not the license to sell above the regulated price. Even if you don't get your products on regular basis, selling the one you have above the regulated price would not make you to get it regularly. Selling the product above pump price has not being helping the country".

Mudei warned that marketers  who still engage in the practice of selling PMS and DPK above government stipulated prices as well as hoarding of these products  should desist in the interest of the public and Nigerian  economy.

He stressed that DPR is capable of activating all the conditions that may lead to the denial of any marketer from further participation in the PSF scheme and the withdrawal of licenses of a facility.

" We are more than ready to enforce our regulation. Henceforth DPR would not allow a situation whereby supply of PMS is dictated by the private interest of marketers and dealers to the detriment of the Nigerian public, neither will the department condone any act of selling PMS above official pump price in government licensed facilities under any guise whatsoever,†he concluded.

The Vice Chairman, IPMAN, Western region Mr. Kunle Bamgboye said that having being attached to lifting product from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) depot since they were granted license by DPR, the supply from NNPC depot has never been enough.

Bamgboye while describing the claims by NNPC that they have 25days sufficiency as sham, disclosed that out of the five depots in the western zone, about four are not loading for the past one week.

" I can confirm that Lagos Atlas Depot of NNPC is not loading, Ibadan is not loading, Ilorin is not loading and Ore is a desert because nothing gets there any longer and we have thousands marketers in that place. It is only Mosimi that is loading and in Mosimi alone we have over 600 marketers and over 3000 outlets," Bamgboye stated.

He further stated that hope of getting fuel supply by  IPMAN  members depend on the availability of products by NNPC and DAPPMA. He added that since NNPC could not supply them with all their demands they have no choice than to go to DAPPMA depots where he disclosed that they buy petrol above N87.

Also speaking on behelf of IPMAN at the meeting, the Immediate past South West Zonal chairman, IPMAN Mr. Olumide Ogunmade restated that what they are paying to get PMS from DAPPMA is above N87 per litre. "As at today there is no product at NNPC depots, we buy directly from DAPPMA. I want DPR to go and do investigation to see how much DAPPMA is selling PMS for us. When we are buying above the current N87 regulated price, as a business man we will not want to run at a lost we would want to make profit. If we have abundant product at a reasonable price nobody will sell above the N87 regulated price,†he said.

Ogunmade also stated that if NNPC is adequately and constantly supplying them there is no way they will sell above the N87 regulated price for PMS.

Effort to have reaction from the Group General Manager,  Public Affairs Division of NNPC Mr. Ohi Alegbe and DAPPMA Executive Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Ajewole was abortive as both of them did not respond to the text messages and calls of our correspondent as at the time of filling this report.

Jonathan’s response to Chibok girls’ kidnap poor – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday said the conflicting reports that emanated from the Federal Government and the security forces in the days shortly after the over 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State last year portrayed the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan in a bad light locally and internationally.

He said he could not rationalise the past government’s incompetence in dealing with the issue, saying he could only ask for patience.

Buhari spoke while granting audience to members of the BringBackOurGirls group, a pressure group set up to continue to clamour for the rescue of the abducted girls.

The President said, “It is unfortunate that the security and Federal Government’s conflicting reports initially presented the government and its agencies in a very bad light both nationally and internationally.

“This is because the law enforcement agencies and the government were conflicting each other sometimes within hours or within weeks, that is not very impressive.

“The delayed and late reaction by the former government and its agencies was very unfortunate as I said…

“I think you will agree with me that the present government takes the issue very seriously. Within a week of being sworn in, I visited Niger, Chad and would have visited Cameroon but for the invitation of the G-7 to go to Germany.

“I am very impressed with the fact that the leadership of this important group and the United Nations itself, are very concerned about the security in Nigeria which led to the abduction of the Chibok girls by the terrorists.

“When the terrorists announced their loyalty to ISIS, the whole attention again was brought squarely to Nigeria. And now we are rated with Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. This is very unfortunate.”

The President also insisted that members of the Boko Haram sect could not claim to be propagating Islam, saying they should consider changing their name to something else.

“We are pleased that in the excesses of the terrorists, they have blown themselves.

“I think they have to change their names from Boko Haram to something else, because no religion will kill the innocents.

“You can’t go and kill innocent people and say ‘Allah Akbar!’ It is either you don’t believe it or you don’t know what you are saying.

“So, it has nothing to do with religion; they are just terrorists and Nigeria will mobilise against all of them,” he added.

The President said he was still compiling the shopping list requested from him by the G-7 leaders.

While saying that the military had submitted its own list, Buhari said he was still waiting for the governors of the frontline states who he had told to compile the list of infrastructure lost to insurgency such as roads, schools, markets and places of worship.

One of the leaders of the group, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, told the President that one of their major demands from the government was the immediate rescue of the Chibok girls.

Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education, said the abducted girls had stayed far beyond the acceptable period in the hands of terrorists.

She said the government needed to apologise for the failure that led to the girls’ abduction and its inability to rescue them.

Ezekwesili also called on the Federal Government to set up a commission of inquiry for accountability on the abduction and rescue of the girls.

While calling for the adoption of the identification, verification and reintegration of abducted citizens’ strategy, Ezekwesili also called for the creation of what she called National Missing Persons Bureau for the country.

She also called on Buhari to release the report of the presidential fact-finding committee that was set up by the Jonathan’s administration in the wake of the abduction.

Another leader of the group, Mariam Uwais, said they would not relent in their demand for the rescue of the girls.

The Chairman of the Kibaku Area Development Association, Dauda Illiya, asked the President to fulfill this promise by treating the safe return of the girls as a top priority.

He also pleaded with Buhari to visit Chibok within the first 100 days of this administration “to have a firsthand view of the plight of our people, while we look forward to the safe return of our daughters very soon.”

Two parents of the abducted girls wept as they addressed Buhari in Hausa.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, security chiefs and other top government officials joined the President to receive the team.

We warned Tinubu that ‘northern allies’ will betray him — Fani-Kayode

 Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has stated that former governor of Lagos state and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was warned that ‘northern allies in APC’ will betray him.

“Another is the destruction and demystification of Bola Tinubu and his Yoruba loyalists by his erstwhile northern allies in the APC. Only a fool did not see that one coming and I am rather surprised that Tinubu’s followers are now crying foul and alleging that there is a northern conspiracy. Didnt they know that before? Were they not warned over and over again?,” the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party 2015 Presidential Campaign Organisation posted on his Facebook account.

Fani postThere are rumours that there are efforts by some forces in the party to demystify the perceived growing influence of Tinubu, who was instrumental in the formation of the APC and also led the campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari

Fani-Kayode also warned that “there are many other grave consequences which the Nigerian people will witness, in a most harrowing and frightful manner, in the next few months and years. May God deliver our people and our nation and may we learn to make the right choices”.

Eagles: NFF confirms Oliseh, approves Dutch assistant

The Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed that former Nigeria international Sunday Oliseh will coach the Super Eagles with a team that will include a Dutch as an assistant.

A manager close to Oliseh in Europe, who has full knowledge of the talks between the NFF and Oliseh in London, confirmed to The PUNCH on Wednesday that the former Eagles captain had accepted the job offer and would work with an assistant from Europe.

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He said, “I can confirm that Sunny (Oliseh) has accepted the offer and he will be working with an assistant coming down from Europe as well.”

On Wednesday, the NFF confirmed they were in talks with the Belgium-based Nigerian to replace Stephen Keshi, who was kicked out as Eagles coach on Saturday. Oliseh met with NFF president Amaju Pinnick and Austin Jay Jay Okocha in London on Tuesday.

“An offer has been made, and there is an understanding, but we have to work out the final details of the agreement in a few days. Of course, the Executive Board has to give approval for his appointment based on the final terms to be agreed,” Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee said on Wednesday.

The NFF added that Oliseh would come with a “foreign technical assistant, whose job description will centre around development programmes, and working with clubs’ youth teams and certified academies towards developing the game from the grassroots.

“Current stand-in coach Salisu Yusuf will also be in the new team, but with greater devotion to the home-based team, otherwise known as Super Eagles B, and will be the interface between the technical crew and the home boys.”

From the details of the package being finalised, Oliseh is expected to come up with a five-year developmental plan “to fashion a unique playing and coaching philosophy for all the national teams, and will for this purpose, interface regularly with coaches of those teams.

“We are also looking at how he will periodically organise clinics and seminars for coaches of clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League, probably once in a month, so as to strengthen the playing philosophy across board. A robust youth development programme, elite player development strategy and performance programmes to drive higher standards, among other core sustainable development programmes, are also part of the proposal,” Anyansi-Agwu said.

NFF President Pinnick said, “Sunday Oliseh has vast experience and immense knowledge of the game, and will certainly add value to what we are doing. He has bought into our vision and objectives towards the development of Nigeria football. He will command the respect of the players and we trust he has the temperament to work harmoniously with the Technical and Development Committee, the Technical Directorate and the Technical Study Group.

“On our part at the NFF, we will give him all the support to succeed as we have been giving to all our coaches. Subject to the approval of the NFF Executive Committee, we will conclude negotiations by weekend and he will be unveiled next week.”

Dogara concedes House Leader to Gbajabiamila camp

In the spirit of reconciliation in the House of Representatives, the camp supporting Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has announced conceding the position of the House Leader to the camp supporting Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

But the speaker’s camp also made it clear that the nominee for the House Leader position will neither come from the South-West nor the North-East in the spirit of equity and federal character, noting that the two zones have already occupied their slots.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, spokesman of the Dogara group Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, said after the reconciliatory meeting as directed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, which was headed by the immediate former speaker and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, the Dogara camp decided to concede to Gbajabiamila camp the position of House Leader.

He said that if the camp turned down the offer, the only option would be to conduct election on the floor of the House by the APC members in accordance with the provisions of the House Rules.

He further said that his camp did not recognise the letter from the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, which he said did not pass through the National Executive Committee of the party and the House caucus or the recognised legal process.

He said while ceding the position of leader to the Gbajabiamila camp, it was made clear that sharing the six principal officers of the House must be in tandem with the constitution as regards the federal character, adding that it will be unfair to exclude any geopolitical zone in sharing positions.

He said: “The Governor of Sokoto State met with Femi Gbajabiamila and his group. Yesterday, he met with us and we also had a lengthy meeting, at some point heated. We wish to appreciate Mr. Speaker for tolerating all our actions at the meeting to be able to stand firm.

“Concessions were made completely against the original plan that we went to the meeting with. This morning, we received lots of phone calls, under normal circumstances we are not supposed to make a public statement on this.

“Because of the information going round and in order to put the record straight, I have been mandated as the spokesman of the group  to make some few comments.

“As regards some of the things that transpired at the meeting, of course the details would be made public when the entire process is concluded.

“We went to the meeting and you have always known our position. We believe that we did not go against any provisions of the laws of the party or the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in electing the speaker or his deputy.

“We also believe that there should be a level playing ground for everyone in terms of the occupation of the remaining offices of principal officers that has always been our position.

“But after a very lengthy meeting with His Execelleny, the immediate past speaker and Governor of Sokoto State, we were able to make a far-reaching concession and this is to allow for peace to reign in the House.

“It was very tough and of course the wise counsel of the Governor of Sokoto State on the need for a concession on peace. Three things we agreed: one, we maintain the position that we do not recognise the letter written by the party in quotes and I give you reasons.

“We have utmost respect for the chairman of the party, but that letter did not pass through the relevant organs of the party.

“It was neither approved by the National Working Committee nor the National Executive Council, not even the caucus was consulted and it was a product of one or two governors and of course the National Chairman.”

“Let me maintain the fact that we respect the national chairman and we will only respect a letter through legal organs of the party. Our position is that we do not recognise the existence of such letter.”

Continuing he said, “Secondly, the principal officers of the House must be in tandem with principle of equity and Federal Character as prescribed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The 6th position that is usually occupied by the majority, the Speaker, deputy speaker, House leader deputy  house leader, the whip and deputy whip must go to the six geopolitical zones or otherwise it must reflect the principal of equity and fairness.

“To that end after the deliberation, we have agreed to concede the position of the House leader to the Femi’s group and we took this decision bearing in mind that we need peace in this house and we want to get down to work.

“In line with with equity and federal character, whoever is being nominated must not come from the Southwest and Northeast in line with our strong belief in the principle of equity and federal character,” he stated.”

The Kono State born lawmaker said the year had gone half way already and that they should be busy with the review of 2015 budget and on how far budget had been implemented.

Besides, he said that in few weeks, the House would be considering the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF! Stressing that the House has  work to do and cannot continue to waste more time talking about positions.

According to him, “We expect the Femi group to accept this concession so that we can be able to move forward.

“In the event that they do not accept, we also provided that it should be left for us to choose principal officers of the House in line with the standing rules of the House, so we have to come back and hold an election.

“The entire APC members would hold an election to elect the house leaders, If someone says he has 174 members, fine let’s hold an election and see if he actually has that majority he claims.

“Let’s hold election in line of the standing rules of the House and that is our position.”

He said that the issue of the letter from the National Chairman where some members loyal to the party were nominated as the principal officers will not be read as there was a court case instituted by some member for the letter not to be read.

He also disclosed that the North Central and the Southeast caucuses of the APC in the House have gone to court mandating the hOuse to respect the House rules as it concerned sharing of principal officers positions.

He, however, said that Rep. Gbajabiamila had contributed a lot in the House and advised him to put national interest above personal interest.

NFF plans consortium of coaches for Eagles

The Nigeria Football Federation plans to hire a consortium of coaches for the Super Eagles, the federation’s president, Amaju Pinnick, has disclosed.

Former Super Eagles skipper, Sunday Oliseh, has been widely touted to replace the sacked Stephen Keshi, but Pinnick has now told africanFootball.com the NFF want to do something different as regards the top coaching post for the Eagles by hiring a team of top coaches.

“Yes I am going to have a meeting, but it’s not just with Oliseh. It’s going to be a collective meeting with others. We are setting up a team (of coaches),” Pinnick told africanFootball.com

“It could be a foreign technical assistant, it could be a consortium of coaches, but we see this as an opportunity to deviate from the norm.

“We want what is best for Nigeria, that is why we have been speaking to a lot of people.

“We do not want to go through that usual way of collecting CV’s and interviewing. We know what we want and we want to go for it.”

Pinnick further disclosed the NFF plan to announce its decision later on Wednesday.

“Later today we would let Nigerians know our direction,” he said.

Gbajabiamila threatens more violence if not made House Leader – Hon. Ahmad

As the leadership crisis in the House of Representatives lingers, the former Minority leader of the House and preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the Speaker position, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has been accused of threatening to make the House hot when plenary resumes if he was not made leader.

But Gbajabiamila denied ever making such a threat even as he accused the Speaker’s camp of making such allegation.

He said he was a man of peace and believed people should learn to discus and not resort to violence.

The allegation against the APC adopted candidate for the Speaker who lost to Hon. Yakubu Dogara was made by Hon. Yunusa Abubakar Ahmad (APC, Gombe) in Abuja on Tuesday on a monitored AIT programme, tagged “AIT Parliamentary.”

While responding to a question put to him on the leadership crisis in the House, he claimed that a serving governor whose name was not mentioned had said that Gbajabiamila threatened to cause more havoc in the House if he did not emerge as the leader when the House resumes for plenary July 21st.

According to him, “A State Governor told me in confidence that Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila told him that if he is not made the Leader of the House, what happened on the floor of the House on June 25th will be a child’s play.”

The lawmaker who is a member of the Speaker’s camp also faulted the list of Principal Officers sent to the House by the APC leadership which could not be read by Dogara on the floor before fight broke out on June 25th which led to the adjournment to July 21.

He said the list was contrary to the spirit of federal character as it concentrated leadership positions on just two geopolitical zones of the South-West and the North-East.

He said, “If you look at the list that the party sent, Femi Gbajabiamila (Hon) South West) will be Leader of the House, Hon. Muhammed Tahir Monguno (North East) will be Chief Whip, Hon. Pally Iriase from South -South was given the Deputy Whip while Hon. Hassan Garba Ado-Doguwa (North West) will be Deputy Leader; which would have given two principal positions each to the South West and the North East.”

But when contacted to confirm the allegation, Gbajabiamila said, “I do no such thing. It must be story from the other side (Dogara camp). I am a man of peace and believe people should learn to discus and not resort to violence.

“Whoever did that obviously does not know me. No office or position is worth such threats. I will advice if you want to engage in investigative journalism, you ask whoever made such a comment to come out with who the threat was made to and when.”