In response to the recent fuel price increase to over N1,000 per litre, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a stark warning to the government about the growing economic strain and potential social unrest among citizens. The opposition party voiced its concerns about the impact of rising costs on daily living conditions, stating that the current administration’s policies are exacerbating the suffering of millions of Nigerians.
Debo Ologunagba, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, stressed that the current economic situation, which includes a plummeting Naira and rising inflation, is leading to greater hardship for Nigerians. He argued that the government’s actions, particularly in the management of the petroleum sector, are leading to the collapse of businesses and driving more people into poverty.
Ologunagba criticized the government’s reliance on a free market economy for the fuel sector, suggesting that it leaves ordinary Nigerians vulnerable to price manipulations by oil profiteers. The PDP’s stance is that a more transparent and strategic approach to resource management could prevent such drastic increases, asserting that petrol prices should be capped at N250 per litre given the country’s potential refining capacity.
The PDP’s statement highlights growing frustrations over the state of the economy under the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, particularly as inflation, unemployment, and poverty rates continue to rise. The party calls on President Tinubu to take urgent action, including reversing the latest fuel price hike, to prevent further economic and social dislocation.
The PDP’s message to the government is clear: it’s time to prioritize the welfare of the Nigerian people over corporate interests and take tangible steps to ease the economic burden facing the nation.