{"id":1385897,"date":"2022-03-17T09:36:04","date_gmt":"2022-03-17T13:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1385897"},"modified":"2022-03-17T09:36:10","modified_gmt":"2022-03-17T13:36:10","slug":"nigeria-president-apologizes-as-opec-country-runs-out-of-gas-electricity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nigeria-president-apologizes-as-opec-country-runs-out-of-gas-electricity\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria: President Apologizes as OPEC Country Runs out of Gas, Electricity"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnigeria-president-apologizes-as-opec-country-runs-out-of-gas-electricity%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1385897&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\">President Muhammadu Buhari apologized \u201cto all sections of the society\u201d in a statement Wednesday for Nigeria\u2019s increasingly critical shortages of gasoline and other petroleum fuel products, as well as a rotting electric grid that collapsed twice this week, leaving the entire country in the dark.<\/p>\n<p>Nigerians have been experiencing extreme gasoline shortages since at least early February, leaving many citizens unable to drive to work and thus devastating manufacturing and other key sectors of the economy. The little gasoline available has <a href=\"https:\/\/qz.com\/africa\/2142918\/the-price-of-diesel-in-nigeria-has-doubled\/\">doubled<\/a> in price between January and March, becoming financially unattainable for many in the country. Commercial airliners warned this week that they were days away from running out of fuel, potentially grounding all civilian planes in the country.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>The fuel shortages are especially frustrating to Nigerians as the country is Africa\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/africa\/2022\/03\/16\/africas-largest-oil-producer-nigeria-crushed-by-fuel-shortages\/\">largest oil producer<\/a> and an OPEC member nation. While rich in crude oil, Nigeria has very few facilities for refining the oil into serviceable fuel products, meaning it also imports almost all of its gasoline and jet fuel. The few refining facilities it does have face regular attacks from armed gangs that often leave them inoperable for days.<\/p>\n<p>The electric grid failures, which are increasingly becoming regular occurrences, appear to be partly the result of poor maintenance. Nigerian Minister of Power Abubakar Aliyu blamed the latest outages this week, however, also on the fuel crisis, claiming that \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanguardngr.com\/2022\/03\/electricity-national-grid-now-restored-to-full-operation-minister\/\">vandalization<\/a>\u201d of oil pipelines to steal fuel had also damaged electric infrastructure. Some reports also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanguardngr.com\/2022\/03\/energy-crisis-nationwide-blackout-as-national-grid-collapses\/\">blamed<\/a> \u201cweeks of bickering among operators\u201d for the electric grid\u2019s woeful performance.<\/p>\n<p>Buhari <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanguardngr.com\/2022\/03\/buhari-apologises-over-petrol-electricity-shortages\/\">provided<\/a> little explanation for the fuel crisis in his apology statement, issued through top aide Mallam Garba Shehu, instead focusing on explaining what his government is allegedly doing to resolve the problem.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThe administration knows the fuel shortage has placed a strain on Nigerian citizens and businesses, but relief is on the way,\u201d Buhari\u2019s statement read, according to\u00a0<em>Vanguard<\/em>. \u201cI specially apologize to all sections of the society for this. \u2026 The government is working round the clock to attend to this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20230694\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.breitbart.com\/media\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-1238898413.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>A motorist fill his tank with fuel bought with a jerrycan to avoid long queues as Nigeria, Africa\u2019s biggest crude producer, is struggling with fuel scarcities that are causing traffic snarks in Lagos and other cities. (Pius Utomi Ekpei\/AFP\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Buhari said that his government had an \u201caction plan \u2026 to address the scarcity [of gasoline]| that was \u201cbearing fruit\u201d in some states.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSufficient fuel supply has returned to a handful of states, with the queues at stations falling. In the coming days, we expect this to be the case across the rest of the country,\u201d Buhari reportedly promised. \u201cLooking to the longer term, funds are being targeted toward keeping fuel availability affordable for the country. The international energy markets have surged drastically in recent months, the government will however ensure that consumers are protected against these price spikes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Buhari appeared to be referring to skyrocketing oil prices triggered by the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, which prompted international sanctions on Russian oil that limited global supply and drove up prices. Nigerians have been enduring high prices and fuel shortages since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/history\/article\/140411-nigeria-fuel-shortage-oil\">long<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spglobal.com\/commodity-insights\/en\/market-insights\/latest-news\/oil\/020922-nigeria-on-brink-of-fuel-shortages-after-it-discovers-off-spec-gasoline\">before<\/a> Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, however.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>Buhari\u2019s statement did attempt to explain the power outages, which, like his power minister, he also blamed on \u201csabotage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA dip in hydroelectric generation due to seasonal pressures has coincided with technical and supply problems at thermal stations,\u201d Buhari claimed, latter adding, \u201cthe main challenge was identified as being one of low gas power generation as a result of sabotage of gas pipelines leading to shutdown of power plants coupled with ongoing routine maintenance on other gas power plants.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Buhari became president in 2015 after serving as a military dictator in the 1980s, largely defeating incumbent Goodluck Jonathan on a promise to combat rampant crime and eliminate the Boko Haram jihadist organization. Buhari has failed to live up to that promise, though his government insists that Boko Haram has been defeated. While Boko Haram terrorists <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/africa\/2020\/12\/16\/nigeria-least-ten-schools-shut-down-boko-haram-mass-abduction\/\">regularly<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/saharareporters.com\/2022\/02\/27\/boko-haram-iswap-fighters-attack-borno-community-kill-13-persons\">stage<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2021\/8\/25\/niger-at-least16-soldiers-killed-in-boko-haram-attack\">attacks<\/a> in the country\u2019s northeast, Buhari\u2019s government blames the attacks on the \u201cIslamic State West Africa Province,\u201d claiming this to be a separate organization and insisting Boko Haram no longer exists. Boko Haram <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2015\/04\/27\/islamic-state-in-west-africa-boko-haram-rebrands\/\">renamed<\/a> itself the \u201cIslamic State West Africa Province\u201d after pledging allegiance to now-dead \u201ccaliph\u201d Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2015.<\/p>\n<p>Buhari\u2019s government has also done little to rein in ethnic Fulani terrorists <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/faith\/2022\/03\/09\/open-doors-every-two-hours-a-nigerian-christian-is-killed-for-following-jesus\/\">attacking<\/a> Christian communities throughout the center of the country, which some experts consider an even greater threat than Boko Haram, prompting international condemnation. Buhari himself is a Fulani Muslim.<\/p>\n<p>Buhari appeared to issue his statement on Wednesday from London, where he made a public <a href=\"https:\/\/www.premiumtimesng.com\/news\/more-news\/517726-buni-meets-buhari-in-london.html\">appearance<\/a> on Wednesday. The president, 79, regularly makes trips to the United Kingdom for alleged medical treatment. He has not publicly clarified what medical condition requires the trips and opposition politicians have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailysabah.com\/world\/africa\/nigerian-president-buharis-london-medical-trips-cause-outrage\">criticized<\/a> him for using public funds to rountinely leave the country for extended periods of time \u2013 and for failing to invest in Nigeria\u2019s healthcare system so as to make his international travel unnecessary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe PDP is disturbed that while Mr. President jets out for medical treatment in well-equipped hospitals abroad, our hospitals and medical personnel are in very sorry situation while millions of our compatriots suffer,\u201d the\u00a0opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lamented in a statement last year.<\/p>\n<p>Buhari was scheduled to leave to London on March 2 but abruptly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.premiumtimesng.com\/news\/top-news\/515244-buhari-returns-to-abuja-reschedules-london-medical-trip.html\">returned<\/a> two days later. He <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecable.ng\/breaking-buhari-travels-to-london-for-medical-checkup\">left<\/a> again for the United Kingdom on March 6 and appears to remain there at press time.<\/p>\n<p><em>Follow Frances Martel on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1647531913832000&#038;usg=AOvVaw1fURPuau51WQ0Puvs28RQL\">Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1647531913832000&#038;usg=AOvVaw2sR-nYQdAVrYRMnC4H65qd\">Twitter.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Muhammadu Buhari apologized \u201cto all sections of the society\u201d in a statement Wednesday for Nigeria\u2019s increasingly critical shortages of gasoline and other petroleum fuel products, as well as a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1385897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1385897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1385897"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1385897\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1385897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1385897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1385897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}