A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, on Sunday, called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing negotiation of diesel prices between the management of Dangote Refinery and marketers.
Oyintiloye said the refinery’s pump price for diesel at N1,225 was high for a product coming from an indigenous company, adding that there should be a major difference between the pump price of imported diesel and the one from a Nigeria-based refinery.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the ex-lawmaker representing Obokun State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, said that the President’s intervention should bring about a downward review of the current pump price of diesel coming from the refinery.
Oyintiloye also advised Tinubu to ensure that the interests of Nigerians are protected in the negotiation.
Similarly, oil marketers have called for a downward review in the pump price of diesel, to between N700 and N850/litre, as operators plan to meet managers of the refinery next week.
The APC chieftain said that the information by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria that diesel was being imported at the rate of N1,250 per litre following the appreciation of the naira against the dollar, was a pointer to the fact that the President’s urgent intervention would be needed in fixing the price of product coming from Dangote Refinery.
The statement read partly, “There is no doubt that Nigerians are happy with the commencement of the operation of the Dangote Refinery. We commend Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the project. It is a huge one for the benefit of our economy.
“That the refinery has started releasing petroleum products to the market is a thing of joy for all Nigerians and a sign of good things to come. It is what we are all looking forward to, but for it to have a positive impact on our economy, we appeal to the President to intervene in fixing the price of the products coming from the refinery.
“What will be the justification that a product coming from Lagos is having the same cost as the one imported from another continent? Nigerians are sensitive, they will ask questions. The President must intervene and ensure that Nigerians are protected.”
The former lawmaker noted that “since the product is coming from an indigenous refinery, expenses on logistics in the area of importation, clearing, and other activities associated with bringing products into the country will be very minimal.”
Oyintiloye advocated a downward review of the diesel price, saying that in no distant time, other indigenous refineries would be revived, making petroleum products to be cheaper.