Planned protest by “1000 lawyers”, CSOs over petrol prices: Stop spouting hogwash on NNPCL — COCSON, BAVCCA

Irked by campaign of calumny against the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mallam Mele Kyari and the Federal Government by some faceless lawyers, two groups, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON) and the Bloggers and Vloggers, Content Creators Association (BAVCCA) have stridently condemned such shenanigans.

The groups called out the faceless lawyers over their bid to mobilize over 1,000 legal practitioners to demand the sacking of the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL and rubbished the gains of petrol subsidy removal and the proper implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 signed by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari by President Bola Tinubu.

According to the groups, the faceless lawyers have been threatening to mobilize for the sack of Kyari over scarcity and the hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) across the country and are planning to occupy the NNPCL headquarters on November 2.

Addressing a joint media briefing on Thursday in Abuja, Mr Abimbola Ademola, the Director of Administration at BAVCCA and Mr Tijani Ali Danjuma, the National Secretary of COCSON, described the planned protest as uncalled, unfortunate and ill-advised.

Ademola and Danjuma cautioned that any plan to disrupt the operations of the NNPC Limited will affect the current move by the National Oil Company to guarantee energy security for Nigeria, which would also have negative impact on Nigerians.

Articulating some of the achievements of the national oil company under Kyari, the duo noted that NNPCL has made significant strides in ensuring stability, accountability, and efficiency in the distribution and management of petroleum resources.

While pointing out that the recent increase in fuel prices has caused hardship and raised concerns among the Nigerian people, they said the measures, adopted by NNPCL and the Federal Government, are necessary to navigate the challenges posed by global economic fluctuations and ensure the long-term sustainability of the Nigerian petroleum sector.

“We have gathered to express their unwavering support for Mr. Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), amidst the threatened protest by 1000 lawyers and various ethnic and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) concerning fuel hike and scarcity issues.

“COCSON and BAVCCA firmly believe that Mr. Mele Kyari has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to the betterment of Nigeria’s petroleum industry.

“Under his guidance, NNPCL has made significant strides in ensuring stability, accountability, and efficiency in the distribution and management of petroleum resources.

“We understand that the recent increase in fuel prices has caused hardship and raised concerns among the Nigerian people.

“However, we firmly believe that these measures, adopted by NNPCL and the Federal Government, are necessary to navigate the challenges posed by global economic fluctuations and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Nigerian petroleum sector.

“The threatened protest by 1000 lawyers and other ethnic/CSO groups is unfortunate and ill-advised,” he said.

“We urge these groups to engage in constructive dialogue with NNPCL and other stakeholders, rather than resorting to disruptive actions that may undermine the progress made by Mr. Mele Kyari and his team.

“We would like to highlight that the Nigerian petroleum industry is a vital pillar of the country’s economy, and any disruption caused by protests or strikes will only worsen the situation and negatively impact the lives of ordinary Nigerians,” the duo added.

The leadership of BAVCCA and COCSON, also called on all well-meaning Nigerians to support the efforts of Kyari and NNPCL in ensuring the availability and accessibility of petroleum products across the country.

While warning those fanning the embers of discord and crises, COCSON and BAVCCA said they would not hesitate to proceed to court or employ every legal means, including but not limited to organising a peaceful advocacy march, to ensure that those working against Kyari and the NNPC Limited are contained.

“COCSON and BAVCCA remain committed to promoting transparent governance and accountability in all sectors of the Nigerian economy.

“We believe that dialogue, collaboration, and understanding are the key to addressing the concerns of the people and working towards a prosperous nation,” the groups said.