Peter Obi Denounces Tinubu's Fuel Discount as Political Gimmick

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, publicly rejected President Bola Tinubu's 30-day fuel discount initiative, describing it as a political gimmick that does not effectively address the economic hardships faced by Nigerians. In a statement issued on Sunday, Obi stated that he delayed his reaction to assess the policy's implementation and outcomes.

He traced the current economic difficulties to the removal of the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, arguing that this decision was made without adequate consultation. Obi criticized the floating of the naira and tax reforms as poorly sequenced and insensitive.

He noted that the simultaneous implementation of three budgets undermined transparency and accountability, leading to inflation and increased prices of goods and services. Obi highlighted rising multidimensional poverty, unemployment, and insecurity as consequences of the government's policies.

He questioned the rationale behind the 30-day petrol discount, asking if it would significantly improve the economic situation and criticized the limited number of petrol stations participating in the initiative.