THE President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated that the Senate will intervene in the current hike in the pump prices of petrol set by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) if the need arises.
Responding to a question after plenary, Senator Akpabio told Senate correspondents that he is yet to make a holistic assessment of the situation but believes that what has happened is owing to deregulation.
“It simply means that you are going to stop the idea of subsidy to make sure that the monies are used for other things. So I don’t expect any increase in pump price,” he said.
He further added that he expects market forces to determine prices and that the NNPCL will no longer import petroleum products, and the more availability of the products, the cheaper the price.
He said, “So, at the beginning, it may seem to be increasing but I believe strongly that with the production from Dangote (Refinery) and then the other refineries when they become functional and the fact that it is now open to all to bring in products into the country, I can assure you that we may not even see higher pump prices.
“So, please let’s not dwell on the increase in pump price. We will assess it and if there is a need for us to intervene we will intervene.”
Also, the Senate on Thursday asked the Federal Government to deny allocations to local governments where the chairmen were selected by the state governor.
This resolution was adopted after the Senate Minority leader, Sen. Abba Moro, raised concern over what he describes as sham local government elections conducted on Saturday, 5th October 2024, and the abuse of the Constitution.
Moro alleged that in most places, elections took place in the private homes of the chieftains of the ruling party, making the entire process a mere coronation of candidates of the ruling party and not a proper election contemplated under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
n the ensuing debate, other lawmakers further expressed worry over the lack of transparency and fairness in local government elections, citing examples in Rivers, Edo, Oyo, Akwa Ibom etc. in addition to Benue.
The upper chamber also condemned the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission’s blatant disregard for democratic principles in the sham local government elections of Saturday, October 5.
Lawmakers also asked the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct elections in those place where elections were not held and allow the people to choose the representatives of their choice.
