Following the recent increase in the pump price of petroleum product from N230 to N300 and N350 in the country, the governorship candidate of Social Democratic party (SDP) in Oyo State, Barrister Micheal Lana has charged President Muhammadu Buhari on immediate intervention on the development in order to bring relief to the groaning masses.
Barrister Lana who noted that the obnoxious increase has continued to have negative impacts on the economy and the masses said without intervention from the president, the issue would continue to undermine the nation’s economy and the people’s wellbeing.
Speaking with Newsmen in Ibadan, Barrister Lana said the state of corruption in the petroleum sector has grossly affected the nation’s image adding the recent increase of petrol from N230 to N300 and N350 per litre has brought untold hardship on the masses.
“A litre of Petrol was N87 during former president Goodluck Jonathan administration, there has been a sharp margin in the price difference since President Buhari took over. If this development continues unchecked and without intervention, it may plunge the nation’s economy into a serious problem”.
The legal luminary who blamed the development on the incapability of the president to oversee the petroleum ministry said , there is the need to allow a competent hand to handle the ministry for property administration.
Said he, “The constitution forbids the president to hold the position of Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and petroleum Ministry same time, and nobody is saying anything. There is the need to allow a competent hand to oversee the Petroleum Ministry in order to achieve smooth operation.and national development’
“The Presidential candidate of our party SDP said recently that 90 percent of our oil is being stolen by government officials and this government has not denied it, it said it is not up to 90 percent, which means the administration of president Buhari knew they are steal from the product. This is why we need a competent hand run the ministry for effective and proper administration.”
Speaking on why he is running for office of the governor in the state, Barrister Lana, a former Attorney General and commissioner for Justice in Oyo State said the economic backwardness of the state made him joined the race.
He said past governors have failed to study what the people need and how the state should be governed, hence, the reason the state and the people are not moving forward ever since .
According to him, past governments in the state have failed to invest in industrialisation and Agriculture to boost the economy of the state, but are only concerned on elephant projects which has not given benefit to the masses.
Barrister Lana said the state will witness total overhauling such that will bring rapid development to people if he emmerges victorious in the 2023 governorship elections.
“Before now I have been fighting for the masses with what God has given me. I fought for the Butchers and NURTW when government descended on them in previous administrations without taking money from them.
Barrister Lana who debunk merger plan between SDP and PDP in the state assured the people that he will start from where Obafemi Awolowo stopped adding that his administration will concentrate on Agriculture and Industrialization to integrate the state if he emmerges victorious at the polls.
