Fast running out of a litany of excuses to explain away the lingering malaise of seemingly endless fuel queues, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has attributed the latest rounds of fuel queues in Abuja, the nation’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and some other parts of the country to restrictions of businesses and movement during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Operations have since resumed at the depots and laden trucks were being dispatched to various parts of the country, according to the NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr. Garba Deen Muhammad.

His words via a statement: “The appearance of pockets of queues in Abuja and some parts of the country, is largely due to restrictions in businesses and movement, to allow for the conduct of the Presidential and NASS elections to enable Nigerians to exercise their civic right.

“However, operations have now resumed at the depots and trucks are being dispatched to various parts of the country.

“We expect normalcy to be restored in the next few days.

“NNPC Limited and all its partners and stakeholders will continue to work together to ensure seamless distribution of petroleum products around the gubernatorial and State Assembly elections.

“We, therefore, enjoin Nigerians not to engage in panic buying.”

Muhammad explained that the NNPCL’s latest updates released on Saturday showed a total of 2.1 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) stock, representing 0.9 billion litres in all the land depots nationwide and 1.2 billion litres on marine vessels.

He said that this was equivalent to 35 days sufficiency as of Saturday, March 4, 2023.

Reassuring Nigerians of a robust supply of PMS, Muhammad said that the NNPCL planned to close the month of March with about 2.8 billion litres, equivalent to 47 days of sufficiency.