By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Again, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Diesel on Monday.

The refinery slashed the price of petrol from N960 to N890 per liter while diesel now sells at N1020 per liter from N1075

The latest development comes as Dangote refinery continues to ramp up production, positioning itself as a key player in Nigeria’s fuel market.

The price cut is expected to ease the burden on businesses and individual struggling with high transportation and Operational costs

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to declare the Delta North Senatorial seat vacant, following the defection of Senator Ned Nwoko to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The court was urged to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a bye-election in the Delta North Senatorial District within 60 days of delivering judgement in the matter.

The legal action was instituted by Senator Nwoko’s constituent and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Marvis Ossai.

Aside from Senator Nwoko, the INEC, PDP, and the Senate were cited as defendants in the matter.

Upon the determination of the question by the court, he prayed among other reliefs, for “an order of this Honourable Court, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC– the 2nd Defendant – to conduct a bye-election into the Delta North Senatorial District of the Nigerian Senate within sixty (60) days from the date of the delivery of Judgement herein.

“An order of this Honourable Court declaring vacant the seat of Ned Munir Nwoko and cancelling his Certificate of Return issued to him by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“An order of this Honourable Court mandating the 1st Defendant, Nwoko, to refund into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, forthwith, all the salaries, emoluments and allowances received by him since January 2025 until the date of the final judgement in this matter.

“An order disqualifying the 1st Defendant from standing election into any elective post under the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria until and unless he complies with every term of the judgement in this suit.”

As well as, “An order mandating the 4th Defendant (Senate) to immediately give effect to the judgement of this Honourable Court.”

In a five-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Ibrahim Isa, the plaintiff told the court that Senator Nwoko had on January 30, resigned from the PDP which was the political party on whose platform he was elected to occupy the Delta North Senatorial seat till 2027.

According to the plaintiff who told the court that he is from Oshimili North Local Government Area in Delta North Senatorial District, Nwoko’s continued stay in office after his defection would amount to a gross violation of the constitution.

“That since when the 1st Defendant decamped from the PDP up to the present moment of initiating the instant suit, there is never any division in the National Leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“That the ideology of the 1st Defendant’s new party, All Progressives Congress (APC), to which the 1st Defendant now fully subscribes, does not bear any similarity or represent the political philosophy of the People’s Democratic Party [which is the basis upon which the Plaintiff resolved to cast his vote for and elected the Defendant in 2023.

“That the conduct of the Defendant in defecting from the People’s Democratic Party to All Progressives Congress has dealt a major blow to the fortunes of the Plaintiff’s Party, the People’s Democratic Party

“That the conduct of the 1st Defendant being challenged herein if not condemned and upturned by this Honourable Court will continue to encourage political harlotry, legislative rascality and destroys the reasons for the laws made to regulate the defection of National Assembly Members by the Constitution of Nigeria itself.

“That the continuous stay of the 1st Defendant at the Federal Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does no longer represent the Plaintiff’s interest or that of thousands of other members of our constituency who voted him in on the basis of our faith in our Party’s manifesto which they believed the 1st Defendant was capable of representing in the Federal Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“That the Defendant is now representing adverse interests of the people who fought the Plaintiff’s party tooth and nail [in the year 2023] to forestall the emergence of the 1st Defendant as the Member Representing DELTA NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT Federal Constituency on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP).

“That time is of the greatest essence in the instant application.
“It will be in the interest of justice for this Honourable Court to grant the prayers contained on the face of this Originating Summons.”

Meanwhile, the suit is yet to be assigned to any judge for a hearing.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has vowed to begin nationwide strike next week Monday if N100billion claims remain unpaid.

The association issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to fulfil the payment of bridging claims amounting to N100bn.

The association threatened to withdraw services if the amount was not paid to them before the deadline.

This move follows the NMDPRA’s failure to clear the debt, despite promises made 40 days ago in the presence of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. If unresolved, the situation could lead to a nationwide scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit nationwide.

The Chairman of the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum, Yahaya Alhasan, disclosed this during a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

Reading a communique, Alhasan expressed frustration over the NMDPRA’s failure to settle the bridging claims, despite repeated assurances.

The claims, which date back to 2024, were deducted from marketers’ payments for products to settle bridging allowances.

Alhasan said, “If NMDPRA doesn’t pay our money within seven days, we are going to withdraw our services across the nation.”