Petroleum Minister, Ibe Kachikwu, Apologises To Nigerian For 'I Am Not A Magician' Comment

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, has apologised to Nigerians for his 'I am not a magician' comments last week that the current petrol scarcity will continue till May, and that only “magic” could bring a quicker end to the crisis that has already stretched beyond a month.

Speaking to journalists last Wednesday at the presidential villa, Mr. Kachikwu had said he had no “magic wand” to make fuel available overnight. The minister said the scarcity may persist for two more months as oil produced in the refineries would not be sold but kept in a “strategic reserve”.

In his 'magic' speech he said, “One of the training​s I did not receive is that of a magician, but I am working very hard to ensure some of these issues go away,” 

He said the government was already working magic to make limited quantity of fuel available in the country given the foreign exchange crisis.

“So it is quite frankly sheer magic that we even have the amount of product at the stations,” he said. “We are looking to see how to get foreign exchange input.”

Mr. Kachikwu came under heavy criticisms for his comments, drawing scathing criticisms from many Nigerians, including a senior leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, who said the comments were “insulting” to the Nigerians facing hardship daily to get petrol.

Some also backed the minister for delivering a frank message that lacked the usual political pretence.

At a meeting with the Senate Committee on Petroleum on Tuesday, the minister apologised for his remarks.

He also assured that fuel queues will disappear across the nation by April.