By Bartholomew Madukwe
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, has disagreed with Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari, on his comparing the pump price of some countries premium motor spirit (petrol) with that of the country.
On Thursday, during a broadcast to the nation on the occasion of Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary, Buhari justified the fuel price hike by his government, noting that the price of fuel was still far cheaper in Nigeria than in neighbouring oil producing countries.
In his words: "In these circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions. Petroleum prices in Nigeria are today adjusted, we sell now at N161 per litre. A comparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point. A) Chad, which is an oil producing country, is N362 per litre. B) Niger, which is also an oil producing country, sells fuel litre at N346. C) Ghana, another oil producing country, petroleum pump price is N326 per litre. Egypt charges N211 per litre, Saudi Arabia charges N168 per litre."
"I disagree with Mr president. Do many of them produce oil? Are we not the 7th oil producer in the world?"
Chief Ozekhome, in a chat with 9jreporters, pointed out that Nigeria's Independence Day broadcast was lame, defensive, lacklustre, uninspiring and devoid of Presidential gravitas.
He said: "It convinces more that the president is out of tune with the stark reality of a 208 million people he governs; he compared us with some neighbouring countries.
"Is Buhari aware that most of our industries have relocated to, and found solace in these countries? Those economies he compared us with are better, more buoyant, less populed and more focused and productive than Nigeria.
"They do not glanouralise and celebrate corruption as a national fundamental objective and directive principle of state policy as we do. It is also about credibility, integrity, honour and dignity.
"Did Buhari not join others Nigerians , including the major players in his government, in January, 2012,to castigate and demonstrate on the streets against Jonathan's minimal increase, arguing that it was corruption - laden and amounted to thievery? What has changed?
"Have the oil cartel he glowingly talked about vanished? Has his government not used more than three times the sum used by three successive governments for importation of fuel?
"Has he built a single refinery? Are the ones he met functional still working? I beg, give me a break from the cluelessbess, propaganda and anti-people policies of this opaque government."
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