Fuel, Electricity Price Hike Bad For Nigerians – PDP Tells Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the increase in fuel price and electricity tariff.

In a statement on Tuesday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party stated that there is no way Nigerians can survive the latest hike in the cost of fuel and electricity.

The PDP expressed regrets that the increase was coming at a time of crippling poverty foisted on the nation by the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

“Our party stands with Nigerians in insisting that there is no way our compatriots can survive a N162 per litre fuel price and a N66 per kw/h of electricity in a country which, in the last five years, ranked as poverty capital of the world, with a frightening 23 percent unemployment rate; where over 90 million citizens live in abject poverty and many more living on less than N500 a day,” the PDP said.

“Indeed, we find it very inconceivable that after the Federal Government, through the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, confirmed that 90 million Nigerians are living in poverty, it still went ahead to increase the cost of essential commodities that drive our economy.

“Nigerians are already in trepidation that the excruciating price increase is a sudden death sentence on many citizens, particularly those living below poverty line, as they cannot survive under a worsened economic situation.

“Moreover, with a N30, 000 federal monthly minimum wage, which represents a ₦1,000 ($2.1) daily wage, there is no way an average Nigerian can survive under the excessive fuel and electricity hike, with attendant increases in transportation and other operational costs, which will leave most citizens with nothing for food, medicines, house rents and other basic necessities of life.”

The party cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari that the latest price hike will worsen the scary situation in the last five years, where some Nigerians are resorting to suicide, slavery mission abroad as well as selling their children as survival options.