President Bola Tinubu has banned members of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, from purchasing petrol dependent vehicles.

The President has also directed the mandatory procurement of compressed-natural-gas-powered vehicles by all government ministries, departments, and agencies.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement on Monday evening, May 13, 2024.

According to him, the directive is in line with Tinubu’s commitment to ensure energy security, drive utility, and cut high fuel costs.

He said the President’s directive is also in furtherance of Nigeria’s effort to transition to cleaner energy as CNG-enabled vehicles have been adjudged to produce lower emissions, even as they present a more affordable alternative for Nigerian energy consumers.

Addressing members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the State House on Monday, President Tinubu affirmed that there is no turning back in the energy reforms initiated by his administration.

“This nation will not progress forward if we continue to dance on the same spot. We have the will to drive the implementation of CNG adoption across the country, and we must set the example as public officials in leading the way to that prosperous future that we are working to achieve for our people. It starts with us, and in seeing that we are serious, Nigerians will follow our lead,” the President stated.

“The President further directed the rejection of all memos brought by members of FEC seeking the purchase of traditional petrol-dependent vehicles, tasking the affected members of the council to go back and diligently seek value-driven procurements of CNG-compliant vehicles.

The President remains committed to effectively harnessing the nation’s gas potential, alleviating the burden of high transportation costs on the masses while enhancing the standard of living of all Nigerians,” the statement added.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says he made a mistake when he chose to support Sim Fubara to succeed him as the governor of Rivers State.

Channels TV said this when he spoke at a function in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday, May 11. The governor at the function apologized to the people of the state for his “mistake”. He said he is a human who is bound to make mistakes, assuring the people, however, that the mistake would be corrected at the appropriate time.

“I want to say this clearly, in life when you have made a mistake, you say I have made a mistake, there is nothing you can do about it. I have made a mistake, I own it up and I say God forgive me and I will say all of you forgive me, but I will correct it at the appropriate time.

I am a human being, I am bound to make mistake, my judgement can be wrong, so forgive me for making a wrong judgement. That is life, so nobody should kill himself,” Wike said

Some days ago, Governor Fubara was quoted as saying that he appreciates Wike for supporting him to become the governor of Rivers State, but would not worship him.

In what seems to be a direct response to that statement by Fubara, Wike in his speech said that there was no time he told anyone to worship him as he is not God.

However, the Minister said that politicians ought to be grateful to those who supported them to attain office rather than showing ingratitude.

“I respect people who appreciate what God has done for them, who appreciates what God has used people to do for them. God does not come down, God uses people to help people. So, when you are helped you appreciate them and then God will know that you have also appreciated him. I have never told anybody to worship me, nobody can worship man. All of us believe that we only have one God and it is only that God we worship and we will continue to worship that God. But as politicians, you appreciate people who have helped you” he said

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has assured Nigerians that the fuel crisis being experienced in the country will soon be a thing of the past.

Bamidele gave this assurance in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the Oil Technology Conference in Houston, Texas on Friday.

He said the legislature is working tirelessly to ensure that fuel scarcity and frequent queues at filling stations are resolved and that there were plans to involve more private-sector players in the construction of new refineries.

In his words;
“The Senate is working to ensure that more private-sector players are licensed to own and operate refineries. This is to support other smaller ones that are springing up in several parts of the country.

“In addition to licensing new refinery operators, the Federal Government and Senate are working to ensure that the existing refineries are turned around with repairs and replacement of parts carried out where necessary,” he said.

Bamidele said the Senate had received an assurance from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited that two of its refineries in Warri and Port Harcourt would come on stream before the end of the year.

Opeyemi maintained that the focus was to ensure that Nigeria meets its OPEC production quota.

He further explained that achieving such milestones would provide more revenue for the government and halt lack and borrowings.