Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has criticised the Federal Government’s announcement of a 30-day petrol discount through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), describing the initiative as evidence of confusion within President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Adebayo made the remarks on Thursday, October 8, 2026, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, following the government’s announcement of the temporary fuel-price intervention.
The Federal Government said the arrangement would allow NNPCL to sell petrol at cost for an initial 30-day period, with priority given to public transport operators nationwide, as part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices.
However, Adebayo questioned the policy’s legal basis, funding arrangements and sustainability, arguing that the government had not clearly explained the framework supporting the initiative.
He likened the announcement to the popular 1990s television comedy series Fuji House of Commotion, describing the government’s presentation as “Tinubu’s House of Commotion.”
According to him, the announcement did not provide sufficient clarity on whether the arrangement constituted a formal policy or a temporary political gesture.
Adebayo also questioned the decision to limit the intervention to 30 days, arguing that such a short period could not provide a sustainable solution to the economic pressures facing Nigerians.
“One month is not short term; it is not medium term; it is not long term; it is a flash in the moment,” he said.
The SDP candidate further argued that the government had failed to identify the legal authority for the arrangement or explain how the financial aspects would be managed.
He maintained that reducing petrol prices sustainably required addressing production costs rather than simply adjusting the amount consumers pay at filling stations.
Adebayo also advocated allocating crude oil specifically for domestic consumption, arguing that a more structured approach could help address the country’s fuel-price challenges.
The Federal Government, however, has rejected the description of the initiative as a return to fuel subsidy. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the arrangement was designed to allow NNPCL to sell petrol at cost during the initial 30-day period.
The policy has also attracted criticism from Trade Union Congress President Festus Osifo, who argued that limiting or capping the price of a product could amount to a form of subsidy, regardless of the terminology used.
The disagreement highlights continuing debate over how the government should respond to rising fuel costs, with opposition figures questioning the intervention’s structure and durability while officials maintain that it is a temporary cost-based arrangement rather than a restoration of the former subsidy regime.
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