Some residents of Auchi town, in Edo State’s Etsako West Local Government Area, have stormed the town’s main streets to protest the lingering scarcity and increase in petrol prices nationwide.
Protesters seen on the street on Wednesday morning demanded that the government intervene in the issue, which has been ongoing for months with no resolution.
Residents in videos seen by SaharaReporters urged the government to intervene in the fuel scarcity crisis and alleviate the sufferings of the Nigerian people.
WATCH: Auchi Residents Protest Fuel Scarcity, Petrol Pump Price In Edo State pic.twitter.com/wniW9s9VeL
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) February 1, 2023
Earlier today, SaharaReporters reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warned that the country’s continued scarcity of fuel could impede Election Day logistics.
While the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited assured the electoral commission that there would be an adequate supply of fuel during the election, the three major presidential candidates expressed optimism that the shortage would be resolved before the polls.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated at a consultative meeting with officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, that the meeting was to put the finishing touches on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed between the commission and the union on December 20, 2022.
He noted that logistics had long been a source of contention in Nigerian election administration.
He said,
“The commission shares your concern about the fuel situation in the country and its impact on transportation on election day. The truth is that our arrangements may be negatively affected by the non-availability of products.
“For this reason, the commission will this afternoon (yesterday) meet with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to look into ways to ameliorate the situation.
“I wish to assure Nigerians that we will continue to engage every national institution for the success of the 2023 general election.”