“Tinubu Doesn’t Have Enough Money To Buy Petrol” – Minister; It’s Not True – Nigerians

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu doesn’t “get enough money to buy fuel” when he wants to go out, due to the high cost of petrol, the Mnister of Labour and Employment, Nkeruka Onyejeocha, has said..

The minister made the disclosure at a Town Hall engagement with organised labour and employers in Abuja, on Friday.

According to her, President Tinubu, like other Nigerians is also suffering the pains brought by the hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS also known as petrol

Not a few Nigerians have lamented the hardship they are currently facing following the increase in the price of petrol to N900 per litre by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL.

The ripple effects of the hike on essential goods and consumables for the masses have been unimaginable, according to people who spoke on the issue.

But, according to the minister, they are not alone in this as Tinubu is also grappling with the same problem.

Onyejeocha said: ” The President is aware of the hardship that the increase in petrol pump price has melted to Nigerians in the last few days.

“It has brought hardship even to himself. The President is a human being. Let me tell you how it affects him; when he comes out there are no vehicles and sometimes they don’t get enough money to buy fuel. It affects everyone to be honest.

“So I plead with all of us to show more understanding and know that when one is down everybody is down. There is nobody that is affected and that is why we should all put our hands and our heads, everything together under one roof to find a way forward that will bring in meaningful result to the nation. I pray you show more understanding.”

Meanwhile, sources familiar with how the Presidency works told the magazine that the minister’s claim may not be totally correct.

According to them, Presidential officials don’t buy fuel, they have fuel bunks in the villa where they collect petrol for their vehicles for daily operations.

Fuel used in government houses across the country are paid for from the public purse, according to sources.

“This is what obtains in all the Government Houses in the country, including Aso Villa. So, President Tinubu does not have to buy for his daily movement,” a source in the Villa said on Friday.

This is one of the official lies by this government to make Nigerians accept the wanton increase in the price of petrol, hook line and sinker, another source said, adding that government officials don’t necessarily feel the hardship due to the hike as they claimed.