As fuel scarcity persists and queues grow longer, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to provide petrol to Nigerians and stop shifting the blames on marketers, considering he is the Minister for Petroleum.

• In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Friday, PDP insisted that it is not enough for the President to sit in his comfort zone and put the blames of the fuel scarcity at the doorsteps of marketers, while Nigerians continued to suffer untold hardship.

The statement reads, “The unbearable fuel situation in the country is completely unacceptable. Mr President must become up and doing. He should not allow anybody to push him to claim that the issue of fuel scarcity is not under the purview of the Minister of Petroleum Resources. When he took office as President of Nigeria and also as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, he was aware that the buck stops at his table.

“Nigerians must not be made to suffer especially at this time of the year when we have the Yuletide and New Year festivities, which come with a lot of activities.

“This is the same APC government that promised that it will make fuel available and affordable. Today, under their deceitful and corrupt watch, fuel has not only become extremely scarce, the price has also risen from where the PDP left it at N86.50k per litre to as high as N300 per litre and above.

“The effect is that transport fares, running costs, prices of food, medicines and other basic needs have soared beyond the reach of Nigerians, who are now groaning heavily under the hardship of APC misrule.

“But should Nigerians be subjected to this type of anguish and pain after supporting APC to win the election in 2015? Does APC indeed deserve another support in 2019?

“Whereas we know that the time is already up for the APC, we nevertheless urge Mr President to, within the remaining short time, rise up to his responsibilities as the minister of petroleum or immediately relinquish that position and allow a competent person to run the ministry. Enough is enough.”

• The statement urged Nigerians not to despair but rekindle their hope in the future, saying PDP is now repositioned to regain power in 2019 and return the nation to what it described as the path of good governance, social stability and economic growth.

What we think: Yes, President Buhari should also be questioned on why fuel scarcity should persist after one promise to another.

The President has insisted on remaining the Minister for Petroleum and, has refused to act as the Minister. Most of the blame is now passed on to the Minister of State for Petroleum.

One more thing: The PDP should not be saying that it is ready to take over power in 2019.

First of all, we all remember what happened in its 16-year rule. Those memories cannot be wiped away so easily.

Then is the party supposed to be talking about “taking over power” or “helping Nigeria out of its woes?”

Besides, is the party really ready for 2019 considering the crisis it is currently experiencing?

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram