Tinubu resumes at Aso Villa, meets Emefiele, Kyari over petrol scarcity

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday resumed office at the presidential villa in Abuja. 

The president was sworn in on Monday at Eagle Square, taking over from former President Muhammadu Buhari who had completed his two-term of eight years.

Tinubu was received at the villa by Vice President Kashim Shettima and high-ranking government officials, including Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, and Tijjani Umar, permanent secretary of the state house. 

Others in attendance were Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Wale Edun, former  Lagos state commissioner for finance,  Dele Alake, and  James Faleke.

Sources said Tinubu was scheduled to hold a meeting with Kyari and Emefiele to address the brewing fuel crisis.

During his inaugural speech on Monday,  Tinubu said “subsidy is gone” because the 2023 appropriation has no provision for it.

After the pronouncement, there have been huge queues at filling stations in some parts of Nigeria due to panic buying.

However, the president said plans of the past administration in phasing out the petrol subsidy regime which has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor was a welcome idea.

He said petrol subsidy funds would be directed to more important projects to improve the economy