It is illegal for Nigerian governors to fix price of petrol – Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana at the weekend said it is illegal for Nigerian Governors Forum to fix the price of petrol in the country.

Falana was reacting to the N380 per litre of petrol recommended by the governors as new pump price.

The activist, featuring on a Punch Live interview on Friday said he respected the Nigerian governors Forum as an entity.

“Nigerian governors in their individual capacities lack the powers to interfere in the fixing of the prices of petroleum products,” he said.

According to Falana, Section 6 of the Petroleum Act which had not been amended provides that the Minister of Petroleum Resources shall fix the prices of petroleum in Nigeria.

He said when Nigerians were told that the PPPRA , DPR, NNPC or Governors’ Forum or market forces were fixing the prices of petroleum products, they have abandoned the law.

Falana stated that the Nigeria situation is where President Muhammadu Buhari has made himself the Minister of Petroleum Resources illegally.

He said as usual, he did not want to take responsibility for punishing the Nigerian people, saying he stepped back and allow all manners of forces to fix petroleum products.