The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed strong disapproval of the recent hike in petrol prices, which has seen the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS) rise to over N1,000 per litre across various parts of Nigeria. The party criticized the federal government for what it described as a deliberate infliction of hardship on the population, stressing that with proper economic management, the price of petrol should not exceed N250 per litre.
In a statement by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party labeled the price hike as a “brutal assault” on the well-being of Nigerians by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration under President Bola Tinubu. The PDP warned that the continuous increases in fuel prices, without consideration for the economic struggles faced by citizens, could lead to widespread unrest.
Ologunagba stated, “The thoughtless increase in fuel price, especially at this time, is a huge recipe for crisis, as Nigerians cannot bear its worsening effect on the suffocating economic hardship which they currently face under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led APC administration.”
The PDP accused the Tinubu administration of mismanaging the petroleum sector and allowing corruption to flourish, leading to a dire economic situation. The party also criticized the government’s economic policies, claiming that over 150 million Nigerians have now fallen below the poverty line, with inflation and unemployment rates skyrocketing.
The statement further attacked the government’s decision to remove fuel subsidies, which the PDP described as benefiting a select group of corrupt individuals while causing untold suffering for the majority of Nigerians. According to the party, the government’s justification for the fuel price increase only served to enrich a cabal of corrupt APC affiliates.
The PDP also expressed concern over the increasing exodus of multinational companies from Nigeria, which it attributed to the government’s poor handling of the economy. The party urged President Tinubu to reverse the fuel price hike and adopt more transparent, innovative economic policies that prioritize the welfare of Nigerians.
In conclusion, the PDP reiterated its belief that if Nigeria’s resources were better managed, the cost of petrol should not exceed N250 per litre, and it called on the government to reverse the latest increase to prevent further socio-economic disruption.