Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government’s proposed 30-day petrol discount at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited stations, describing the measure as temporary relief that would not address the hardship caused by high fuel prices.
Atiku, in a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, argued that the initiative would provide only short-term relief while leaving Nigerians to contend with high petrol, transport and food prices after the 30-day period.
The Federal Government had announced that the discount would run for an initial 30 days, with priority given to public transport operators.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the arrangement was not a return to petrol subsidy, explaining that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited would sell petrol at cost during the period.
However, Atiku described the intervention as a temporary measure and questioned what would happen after the 30-day period.
He said Nigerians would still be confronted with high fuel prices, rising transport fares and increasing food costs once the discount expired.
The former Vice President also questioned the scope of the intervention, noting that it would be limited to NNPC stations.
He said the government had yet to disclose how much motorists would save per litre or provide guarantees that savings made by transport operators would translate into lower fares for passengers.
Atiku further argued that the Federal Government’s decision to introduce the temporary measure demonstrated the viability of his proposal for production support tied to locally refined petrol.
He reiterated his proposal for capped and budgeted production support for fuel refined in Nigeria, with safeguards to ensure that the benefits reach consumers while supporting domestic refining.
According to him, Nigerians require a long-term solution to rising living costs rather than temporary interventions.
The former Vice President said the government should focus on measures that would provide sustainable relief from the rising cost of petrol and its impact on transportation and other essential commodities.
His criticism comes amid growing concerns over petrol prices and the wider cost-of-living crisis, with the Nigeria Labour Congress also giving the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum to reduce petrol prices and commence renegotiation of the national minimum wage.
The Federal Government, meanwhile, has said its latest measures are intended to cushion the impact of petrol-price pressures without returning to the subsidy regime.
