Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticized President Bola Tinubu for the recent increase in fuel prices while on vacation.
Obi expressed disappointment that Tinubu allowed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to raise fuel prices without any explanation, leaving Nigerians to struggle with even more economic hardship.
While President Tinubu was on vacation in France, NNPCL raised fuel prices across the country, with some regions seeing prices soar as high as N1,075 per litre.
Many Nigerians reacted by calling for Tinubu to reverse the hike, but the government, through Information Minister Mohammed Idris, claimed that the oil company made the decision independently.
Obi, in his statements on social media, highlighted the government’s failure to manage the country’s resources properly.
He argued that the price hike showed a lack of compassion and good economic planning, as well as confusion over the roles of regulatory bodies and the NNPCL.
Obi further stated that since the President serves as the Minister of Petroleum, he is directly responsible for overseeing the NNPCL and the regulatory bodies.
Therefore, it is up to President Tinubu to offer solutions and reverse the price increase, especially given the difficult conditions Nigerians are facing.
Obi also criticized Tinubu for making such decisions while on vacation, saying it shows a disregard for the welfare of Nigerians. His comments followed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s criticism of Tinubu for causing pain with the price hike.