The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Federal Government to reverse the recent petrol price hike, calling it a “brutal assault” on the sensibilities of Nigerians.
In a statement released on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP condemned the increase, saying it shows a disregard for the welfare of citizens and is akin to “pushing Nigerians to the wall and daring them to do their worst.”
The party warned that the timing of the hike is particularly harmful, exacerbating the already severe economic hardship faced by Nigerians under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Ologunagba noted that this move could lead to unrest, as people struggle to cope with the rising costs of living.
He further claimed that 150 million Nigerians have been pushed below the poverty line under the current administration, with businesses collapsing daily amid a 34 percent inflation rate and unemployment exceeding 40 percent.
“The thoughtless increase in fuel price, especially at this time, is a huge recipe for crisis,” the statement read. “Nigerians can no longer endure the worsening impact of this administration’s suffocating economic policies.”
Ologunagba criticized the Tinubu-led APC government for being “anti-people” and indifferent to the suffering of millions who are struggling to afford basic necessities like food and medicine due to skyrocketing living costs caused by what he termed “reckless policies.”
He also lamented that major multinational companies are exiting Nigeria due to what he described as poorly conceived economic policies, leaving little hope for recovery under the current government.
The PDP noted that it had offered numerous suggestions for better economic management, but these were ignored by the APC government. The party is now calling on President Tinubu to reverse the fuel price increase and reevaluate other policies that are worsening the country’s economic situation.
Ologunagba added that with better management of resources and national refining capacity, petrol prices should not exceed N250 per litre.