Legal Practitioner Sues Buhari over Fuel Scarcity

A Lagos-based lawyer, Festus Ogun, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari at the Federal High Court in Lagos over what he described as excessive pain, hardship and agony he has put Nigerians through as a result of the fuel scarcity the nation experienced earlier this year.

Ogun stated this Monday while blasting the president for doubling as the Petroleum Minister against Section 138 of the 1999 Constitution. He stressed that the fuel scarcity would have been avoided if the Petroleum Sector had been efficiently managed.

He also alleged that it is illegal and unconstitutional for Buhari to continue serving as Petroleum Minister.

 “It is inimical to our economic growth and likely to occasion future scarcity and inefficiency that will affect the country and its good people,” Ogun said.

“I make bold to say that it is practically and legally impossible for the President to hold his elected position that comes with enormous responsibilities, contemporaneously with the position of Petroleum Minister. It has no basis in law, logic and politics.”

“If Nigerians suffered that heavily during the fuel scarcity, the President must be answerable. There must be consequences. And as a citizen of this country, I believe we must avert a reoccurrence, whether under this regime or in future administrations.”

However, the case has not been assigned to any judge.