Atiku Abubakar has promised Nigerians that they will not spend their next Christmas on petrol queues at filling stations if they vote for him in February.
The PDP presidential candidate said this in his Christmas message which was signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Christmas Eve.
Noting how the APC administration has set a new record of the longest petrol scarcity in the history of Nigeria, Atiku recalled the onset of the petroleum supply crisis with the importation of dirty petrol high in methanol for which he said, no one was sacked.
“After a few weeks of respite, the petrol scarcity continued yet again in May as oil marketers complained about the outstanding payment of bridging claims incurred by dealers for the transportation of petroleum products across the country. The NNPC claimed the queues in Abuja and most parts of the north were caused by panic buying.
“With the fuel scarcity now continuing till December, the government has run out of excuses even as most Nigerians are now at the mercy of black marketers who sell petrol as high as N500 per litre. The NNPC which is the sole importer of petrol has failed to live up to its duties, clear evidence that its privatisation is merely cosmetic,” Atiku said.
“But the biggest culprit in this mess is President Muhammadu Buhari who is the minister of petroleum. It is saddening that he has failed to bring succour to Nigerians who are suffering from the worsening inflation, unemployment and insecurity.
“The APC which is running for a third term through the person of Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now promising renewed hope after dashing the hopes of millions of Nigerians for the last eight years.
“It is exasperating that Tinubu is promising to remove petrol subsidy when his party has retained it for the last seven years and spent billions of dollars subsidising criminality. It is obvious that Tinubu’s statement is an indictment on Buhari.
Nigerians have suffered too much in these last seven years . A country which has been unable to meet its OPEC quota at a time of oil boom is now witnessing an unprecedented petrol scarcity that has brought economic activities to its knees across the country.
“Atiku Abubakar hereby promises Nigerians that this will be their last Christmas that will be spent at a filling station queuing for petrol. Voting APC in February will be a reinforcement of failure which could push Nigeria into an existential crisis. To Nigerians, we say the ability to change your destiny lies in your hands. Merry Christmas.”