PDP Condemns NNPC Fuel Price Hike as “Brutal Assault” on Nigerians

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized the recent fuel price hike by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), describing it as a “brutal assault” on the citizens of Nigeria.

On Tuesday, the price of fuel at NNPC stations surged to ₦855, ₦918, and even higher per litre, with prices varying depending on the location.

In a statement released on Wednesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of being indifferent to the plight of millions of Nigerians, who are increasingly unable to afford basic necessities.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vehemently rejects the punitive increase in the pump price of fuel to over ₦1,000 per litre in various parts of the country. This is a blatant assault on the sensibility and well-being of Nigerians by the insensitive and arrogant All Progressives Congress (APC) administration,” Ologunagba declared.

He warned that the timing of the fuel price hike could exacerbate the already dire economic conditions faced by the populace, describing it as “a recipe for crisis” as Nigerians struggle to cope with the worsening economic hardships imposed by the Tinubu-led administration.

“The secretive and corrupt administration of the petroleum sector and the persistent increase in fuel prices under the Tinubu administration, without any regard for the well-being of the people, is akin to pushing Nigerians to the wall and daring them to react,” he added.

Ologunagba also accused the APC government of being anti-people, highlighting the struggles of millions of Nigerians who can no longer afford basic needs such as food, medication, and family support due to the soaring cost of living under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership.

“Under the Tinubu-led APC administration, over 150 million Nigerians have sunk below the poverty line. Businesses are collapsing daily as the Naira now exchanges for over ₦1,600 to a Dollar, with an inflation rate exceeding 34% and unemployment over 40%—figures expected to worsen with the latest draconian increase in fuel prices,” he stated.

The PDP further argued that the APC government’s policies offer no hope, citing the exodus of major multinational companies due to poorly implemented economic strategies.

Ologunagba accused the Federal Government of ceding control of the nation’s oil sector to “racketeers” under the guise of a free market, asserting that the Tinubu administration has failed in its fundamental duty to safeguard the welfare and security of its citizens.

“President Tinubu, as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, cannot distance himself from the secretive and fraudulent management of the petroleum sector, which is rapidly pushing our nation’s economy to the brink,” the statement continued.

The PDP also criticized the APC administration for continuing to raise fuel prices despite allegations of secretly paying ₦5.4 trillion in fuel subsidies for 2024, labeling the government as complicit in enabling a corrupt cabal that benefits from the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.

“With the hopeless state of affairs in our nation today, our Party wonders what President Tinubu says to his foreign counterparts during his numerous trips abroad, particularly in nations where leaders prioritize the welfare of their people,” Ologunagba concluded.