By Dada Ahmed
Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has rejected increase in the pump price of fuel from N162 to N170 per liter by the All the Progressives Congress (APC) government, describing it “as wicked, unbearable and unacceptable, particularly given the prevailing excruciating economic crunch already foisted on Nigerians by the Buhari administration.”
The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kolagbondiyan
National Publicity in Abuja on Friday, insisted that “the increase will worsen the already suffocating economic situation in the country and ‘an additional log tied on the economic neck of Nigerians.”
“The PDP holds that the APC and its administration have no justification to increase the cost of fuel to anything above N100 per litre, talk less of N170, when there are practical options to maintain affordable price, given our production capacity and potentialities.
“It is evident that the continuous increase in the pump price of fuel, under opaque and nebulous indices, is a product of incompetence and large scale corruption being perpetrated by a few individuals bent on fleecing Nigerians and holding our nation to ransom,”PDP added.
The party called on APC to come clean on the parameters being used for the hike in prices vis-a-vis the nation’s production, export and accruing revenue and be honest with Nigerians regarding the status and volume of oil production, sales and accruing revenue as well as fix the refineries with a view to ending crude oil theft.
Ologbondiyan urged President Muhammadu Buhari to end the corruption and the stealing of the country’oil resource and recover the looted resources and immediately reverse this increase in price of fuel.
“President Buhari should also take steps to fulfill his promise to revamp our refineries, it is still not yet late for him to get more competent hands to run our oil sector instead of imposing more hardship on Nigerians,” he said
The Reporters recalls that the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN ) directed its members to sell the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) for N170 per litre.
The online media gathered that IPMA’s instruction followed Thursday’s night announcement of N155 .17ex-depot price to the marketers.
IPMAN National Vice President Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, disclosed that the PPPMC, last midnight, told
the association that the ex-depot price was now N155. 17 per litre, adding that the association had directed its marketers to sell for N170 per litre.”
According to him, the price will still depend on the forces of demand and supply.
Our correspondent in lokoja reports that transport fares within Lokoja have started showing sign of increase as some operators of kekenapep(tricycle) and commercial motorcycle riders have adjusted their fares by about 20 per cent increase depending on the distance.
