PDP asks Nigerians to reject ‘plot’ to hike pump price

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Nigerians to reject
any attempt by the federal government to hike the pump price of
petrol.

There have been reports that the current administration is
planning to increase the price of petrol but Ibe Kachikwu, minister
of state for petroleum resources, has assured Nigerians that the
price would remain at N145 per litre.

Kola Ologbodiyan, spokesman of the PDP, said any further
increase in fuel price would be “inhuman and unacceptable”.

He added that hike in fuel pump price would be an indirect tax
on Nigerians, thereby increase their suffering.

He called on government to come up with a clear explanation on
“oil subsidy payment” under the administration and “illegal lifting
of N1.1 trillion worth of crude using unregistered companies”.

He said in December, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo informed
Nigerians that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
had been paying subsidy on fuel.

Ologbondiyan said the federal government was yet to tell
Nigerians who the beneficiaries of the subsidy were, the amount
involved and who authorised the payment.

“Any increase in fuel pump price would be an indirect tax on
Nigerians to fund APC interests and, considering the pains
Nigerians have suffered under this … government, this intended hike
will be callous,” he said.

“It is now clear to all that this APC-controlled government will
never act in the interest of Nigerians. All the actions and
policies of APC, in their close to three years in office, have been
targeted against Nigerians and there are no signals that they will
change.

“We, therefore, urge Nigerians to reject this plot to raise the
prices of petroleum products even as they gear towards using the
next election to end the misrule of the APC.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Nigerians to reject
any attempt by the federal government to hike the pump price of
petrol.

There have been reports that the current administration is
planning to increase the price of petrol but Ibe Kachikwu, minister
of state for petroleum resources, has assured Nigerians that the
price would remain at N145 per litre.

Kola Ologbodiyan, spokesman of the PDP, said any further
increase in fuel price would be “inhuman and unacceptable”.

He added that hike in fuel pump price would be an indirect tax
on Nigerians, thereby increase their suffering.

He called on government to come up with a clear explanation on
“oil subsidy payment” under the administration and “illegal lifting
of N1.1 trillion worth of crude using unregistered companies”.

He said in December, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo informed
Nigerians that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
had been paying subsidy on fuel.

Ologbondiyan said the federal government was yet to tell
Nigerians who the beneficiaries of the subsidy were, the amount
involved and who authorised the payment.

“Any increase in fuel pump price would be an indirect tax on
Nigerians to fund APC interests and, considering the pains
Nigerians have suffered under this … government, this intended hike
will be callous,” he said.

“It is now clear to all that this APC-controlled government will
never act in the interest of Nigerians. All the actions and
policies of APC, in their close to three years in office, have been
targeted against Nigerians and there are no signals that they will
change.

“We, therefore, urge Nigerians to reject this plot to raise the
prices of petroleum products even as they gear towards using the
next election to end the misrule of the APC.”