DP Condemns Fuel Price Hike as ‘Brutal Assault’ on Nigerians, Demands Immediate Reversal
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vehemently condemned the recent increase in the pump price of fuel to over N1,000 per liter, calling it a “brutal assault” on the sensibility and wellbeing of Nigerians by the “insensitive and arrogant All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, criticized the fuel price hike, describing it as a severe exacerbation of the already dire economic hardships faced by Nigerians under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“The thoughtless increase in fuel price, especially at this time, is a huge recipe for crisis,” Ologunagba stated, adding that Nigerians are struggling to cope with escalating living costs.
The PDP accused the APC administration of being “secretive and corrupt” in its management of the petroleum sector, alleging that the ongoing increases in fuel prices are pushing Nigerians to the brink.
“The APC administration has consistently shown itself to be anti-people, unconcerned, and deaf to the agonies of millions of Nigerians,” the statement read.
The party highlighted the severe impacts on daily life, including the inability of many to afford basic necessities due to the soaring cost of living.
The PDP also pointed out the staggering economic indicators under the current administration, including a Naira exchange rate of over N1,600 to a Dollar, a 34% inflation rate, and over 40% unemployment rate. The party warned that these figures are likely to worsen with the recent fuel price hike.
“The admission by the APC-led Federal Government that it has handed the fate of Nigerians to oil racketeers in the name of a free market economy further validates our position,” Ologunagba continued.
He criticized President Tinubu, who also serves as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, for allegedly failing to address the problems in the petroleum sector.
The PDP also highlighted the “scandalous” revelation that the APC administration is secretly paying N5.4 trillion in fuel subsidies for 2024, questioning why the government continues to increase fuel prices despite this expenditure.
The statement accused the APC government of enabling a cabal of “corrupt rent-seekers” who benefit from the rising fuel prices at the expense of ordinary Nigerians.
In conclusion, the PDP called on President Tinubu to reverse the recent fuel price increase and address what they describe as “life-discounting and suffocating policies” of the APC government.
The party asserted that with proper management, fuel prices should not exceed N250 per liter, and urged the administration to implement policies that would alleviate the economic suffering of Nigerians.
