The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of being insensitive to the suffering of Nigerians through what it described as anti-people economic policies.
The party’s criticism followed the President’s recent approval of a 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel, which has sparked outrage among Nigerians and industry stakeholders.
In a statement released on Friday and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC warned that the new levy would worsen the economic hardship in the country and push the cost of petrol beyond ₦1,000 per litre.
“This fuel tax is both insensitive and misguided. Nigerians are already suffocating under the weight of Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda,’” the party stated.
The ADC argued that the government’s move, made under the pretext of encouraging local refining, lacks justification — especially when the Port Harcourt refinery, touted as a cornerstone of domestic refining, collapsed just five months after a $1.5 billion rehabilitation, resulting in a ₦366.2 billion loss.
The opposition party described Tinubu’s economic reforms as trial-and-error governance, claiming they have plunged citizens into deeper poverty through subsidy removal, naira devaluation, and multiple taxes.
“While the government preaches progress, food, rent, and transport costs keep rising. This latest tax attack will further compound the people’s suffering,” it added.
The ADC demanded an immediate reversal of the 15% import duty, warning that the administration was “pushing the people to the wall.”
“A government that cannot run its own refineries has no business taxing those who keep the country running with their sweat and blood,” the party declared.
However, the Presidency has defended the new policy, insisting that it is a “bridge, not a burden.”
In a statement posted on X by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media & Public Communication to the President, the government maintained that the import duty was a strategic move to boost domestic refining capacity and ensure that Nigeria’s oil wealth translates into national prosperity.
Dare said the decision would ultimately “reshape Nigeria’s energy landscape” and reduce dependence on imported fuel.
