In a significant development, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to reverse the recent petrol price hike, pending the court’s final verdict on the matter.
SERAP emphasized that this move is necessary to alleviate the growing economic hardship faced by Nigerians. They argue that until the courts decide on the legality of the price hike, it should be suspended to provide relief to citizens.SERAP, known for its advocacy for transparency and good governance, filed a lawsuit against the government following the fuel subsidy removal that led to sharp increases in petrol prices.
According to the organization, the new petrol prices have exacerbated poverty and violated citizens' rights to an adequate standard of living.
This call comes at a time when many Nigerians are grappling with rising costs of living, prompting widespread protests. While the government insists that subsidy removal is vital for economic reforms, SERAP contends that any decision should be delayed until the courts rule on the matter to ensure it aligns with the rule of law and social justice.
If the court rules in favor of SERAP, it could have far-reaching implications for fuel pricing policies and economic reforms in Nigeria. As of now, the nation awaits both the court's decision and the government's response to SERAP's demands.
The Financial Privileges and Responsibility Venture (SERAP) is requesting a quick inversion of the most recent expansion in the cost of petroleum.
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The association encouraged President Bola Tinubu "to coordinate the Nigerian Public Petrol Organization Restricted (NNPCL) to promptly turn around the second expansion in petroleum costs in a single month, forthcoming the meeting and assurance of the suit under the steady gaze of the Government High Court, Abuja testing the lawfulness of the powers of the NNPCL to increment petroleum costs."
The most recent increment has seen NNPCL outlets in Lagos sell a liter of petroleum for ₦998 from the underlying cost of ₦855, while in Abuja, it went to ₦1,030 from ₦897.
In other filling stations, the cost of the item goes for as much as ₦1,050 in certain pieces of Lagos State.
Document: Individuals hold on to top off their jerrycans and gas tanks at a fuel station in Lagos on September 4, 2024. (Photograph by FAWAZ OYEDEJI/AFP)
SERAP had last month documented a claim against the president and NNPCL "over the inability to switch the obviously unlawful expansion in the siphon cost of petroleum, and to test the charges of debasement and blunder in the NNPCL."
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In its open letter dated 12 October 2024 and endorsed by its delegate chief Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said, "The most recent expansion in petroleum costs makes a joke of the case forthcoming under the watchful eye of the Government High Court, and makes a gamble that the course of equity will be truly obstructed or biased for this situation."
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In the letter made accessible to Stations TV on Sunday, SERAP expressed, "One of the basic standards of law and order is that it applies to everybody, including presidents and Chiefs of public establishments."
As per SERAP, "It is in the public interest to keep the surges of equity clear and unadulterated, and to keep up with the power and honesty of the court for the situation."
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The association additionally said, "Permitting the Government High Court to hear and decide the case would be completely steady with the letter and soul of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], your pledge of office and frequently rehashed vows to maintain law and order."
The letter read to some degree: "SERAP noticed that since suspicion of office in May 2023 you have over and over guaranteed, remembering for your debut discourse, that 'Nigeria will be unbiasedly represented by the Constitution and law and order.'"
"Expanding petroleum costs while the Government High Legal dispute is forthcoming would bias and sabotage the capacity of the court to do equity for the situation, harm public trust in the court, bias the result of the case, as well as block the course of equity."
"We would be thankful assuming the suggested measures are promptly taken following the receipt and additionally distribution of this letter, bombing which SERAP will think about disdain procedures or potentially other fitting lawful activities to urge your administration and NNPCL to conform to our solicitation in the public interest."
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"While perhaps not quickly switched, the most recent expansion in petroleum costs would genuinely subvert the trustworthiness of the Nigerian Constitution and have serious ramifications for the most helpless and impeded Nigerians and the public interest."
"Safeguarding the right to a legal response and due organization of equity is of most extreme significance, being the foundation of an arranged society."
"The main manner by which SERAP can have a fair and powerful admittance to equity in this matter is to permit the court to choose, without a doubt, on the benefits of the case before it."
"Switching the most recent expansion in petroleum costs would permit the court to deliver a choice on the focal issues for the situation, and safeguard the candidate's privileges and interests."
"The most recent expansion in petroleum costs while the Bureaucratic High Legal dispute is forthcoming is an impedance with the right of SERAP to decently and successfully seek after a legal test to the choice by your administration and NNPCL in regards to the main expansion in petroleum costs."
"As indicated by our data, the Nigerian Public Petrol Organization (NNPC) Restricted as of late expanded the cost of premium engine soul (PMS), otherwise called petroleum, across its retail outlets."
"The retail cost of petroleum was expanded from N897 to N1,030 per liter. This is the second expansion in one month, and followed the expansion in September from N600 to N855 per liter, and in certain occurrences above N900 per liter."
"The two increments followed a shortage made by the detailed refusal by providers import oil based goods for the NNPCL more than a $6 billion obligation."
"As per the as of late distributed 2020 reviewed report by the Reviewer General of the Organization (AGF), the Nigerian Public Petrol Enterprise (NNPC) neglected to dispatch over USD$2 billion and N164 billion of oil incomes into the League Record. The Evaluator General apprehensions that the cash might have been redirected into private pockets."
"The NNPCL supposedly fizzled as well as wouldn't transmit N151,121,999,966. The NNPCL with no defense deducted the cash from the oil sovereignties evaluated for 2020 by the Division of Petrol Assets (DPR) presently Nigerian Upstream Petrol Administrative Commission (NUPRC)."
"The NNPCL has neglected to represent the missing public assets. The Reviewer General needs the cash recuperated and dispatched into the Organization Record."
"The NNPCL likewise neglected to transmit USD$19,774,488.15 gathered as government income to the League Record. The Examiner General maintains that the NNPCL should represent the cash, recuperate and transmit it into the Alliance Record, and to surrender those thought to be involved to the ICPC and the EFCC."
"The Nigerian Oil Improvement Organization (NPDC) Ltd likewise purportedly neglected to represent USD$2,021,411,877.47 and N13,313,565,786.49 of sovereignties gathered from unrefined petroleum and gas deals and gas flare."
"The Examiner General needs the public assets completely recuperated and dispatched into the Alliance Record and for those thought to be answerable for the missing public assets to be given over to the ICPC and the EFCC."
"SERAP last month recorded a claim requesting your administration and NNPCL testing the legitimateness from the expansion in the siphon cost of petroleum, and the inability to test the charges of defilement and bungle in the NNPCL."
"Participated in the suit as Respondents is the Head legal officer of the Alliance and Clergyman of Equity Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN. The suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1361/2024 was documented at the Government High Court, Abuja."
"Expanding petroleum costs would think twice about interest of the Candidate in the Administrative High Legal dispute recorded against your administration and the NNPCL, as the second expansion in one month straightforwardly addresses the focal issues and the legitimateness of the main increment, which the court is set to decide and control upon."
"The center of the rule of legal autonomy is the finished freedom of the appointed authority to hear and choose the cases before them based on realities and as per the law, with practically no ill-advised impedance, immediate or circuitous."TT
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