More headache for kachikwu as oil marketers 'plot' his removal

Some stakeholders in the oil sector are pushing for the
removal of Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for
petroleum resources.

This is as a result of the minister’s claim that the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
awarded N25 billion contracts without due process .

Although, Kachikwu later recanted , saying the issues
he raised were on governance and the “way to go
about it”, some major marketers and key unions in the
sector are said to be miffed.

The unions consist of the leadership of the National
Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the
petroleum tanker drivers branch of the National Union
of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and
the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff
Association (PENGASSAN).

Others are the Depot and Petroleum Products
Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA), the
Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of
Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Major Marketers Association
of Nigeria (MOMAN).

An industry source quoted one of the union leaders as
saying “Kachikwu has lost all moral and credible
integrity to lead or supervise the oil and gas industry”.

The source said some of the unions are plotting to
embarrass the minister with fuel scarcity in order to
make him resign.

In a position paper recently written to the presidency,
the leadership of NARTO described Kachikwu’s
allegations as a display of “immaturity”.

“We would like to reiterate that the comment made by
the minister were an act of immaturity and an indirect
affront on the personality of President Muhammadu
Buhari who is the substantive minister of petroleum
resources,” read the paper signed by Kassim Bataiya,
NARTO president.

The petroleum tankers drivers are said to have
recommended the minister’s sack to Buhari.

Realising the tough opposition against him, the
minister was said to have reached out to the
stakeholders but they reportedly turned him down.

As of the time this report was filed, the minister was
not available for comments as Uche
Adighibe, spokesman of the ministry, did not respond
to a text message sent by TheCable.

TheCable