Former civilian governor of Kaduna state, Alhaji Balarabe Musa has called on the Federal Government to reverse the N145 new fuel pump price that was introduced yesterday, Wednesday even as the Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) said that the over 40 million Nigerian students would re-enact the Occupy Nigeria protest against the removal of subsidy from petroleum product next week.
Balarabe Musa, who is also a national leader of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) today, Thursday in Kaduna, said that the government’s action would inflict more pains on Nigerians.
“We are in trouble; the already bad situation will get worse and it will worsen the poverty level of Nigerians.”
The politician said that he would support the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) planned mass protest to compel the Federal Government to reverse the decision.
He said the proceeds from the new price of the product would only benefit some persons and caucuses within government even as he asked Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and well-meaning Nigerians to join in imploring the government to reverse the decision for the sake of the masses.
The National President of NANs, Comrade Tijani Shehu, who spoke today, Thursday in Abuja, at a protest rally where the association called for the removal of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said that NANS is already mobilizing Nigerian students to resist the new N145 per litre pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol.
“A directive has been issued to all tertiary institutions to shut down all campuses on Tuesday and Wednesday, next week. After that, they will all converge on Abuja for a mass protest.
”On behalf of NANS and the whole 40.1 million Nigeria students, we condemn the new fuel price and by Tuesday or Wednesday, the whole Nigeria student would occupy Nigeria. So the Federal Government should look into this before NANS mobilize the entire Nigeria students to occupy Nigeria.”
This was even as an All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator representing Kaduna central, Shehu Sani said that the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s decision to increase the pump price of petroleum products is “insensitive and punitive.”
Senator Shehu Sani, who is the chairman Senate committee on Foreign and Domestic debt, said in a statement that the decision was “most unfortunate.”
“At a time when poor Nigerians are facing enormous economic hardships and are being asked to be more patient all the NNPC can do is to add to their suffering,” he said.
“It’s utterly irrational and illogical to further impoverish the people in order to achieve liberal self-serving economic aspirations.
“It’s all evident that capitalist forces are holding the FG hostage and are blackmailing it to implement its inimical version of economic reforms.
“It makes no sense if everyone must perish in order to revamp the economy.
“Economic reforms are necessary but it must be done with a human face and human heart if it’s made in the interest of human beings.
“Outrageous increase in pump price is a social provocation.
“It’s possible to reform the oil sector without necessarily incinerating the country.
“We must not take the patience, the sacrifice and the good will of Nigerians for granted.
“I stand opposed to the increase in pump price and I call on PMB to weigh in on the NNPC to rescind the decision.” [myad]
