By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cautioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against imposing further economic hardship on Nigerians following his approval of a 15 per cent import duty on petrol and diesel.
The opposition party said the new tax would worsen the already severe cost-of-living crisis and could push citizens to the brink of revolt.
In a statement by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the ADC acknowledged the need to encourage local refining but insisted that such policies must not come at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing.
According to the party, introducing a fresh levy on imported fuel at a time when Nigerians are ‘suffocating’ under the weight of the government’s economic reforms reflects ‘insensitivity and poor judgement’.
The ADC warned that the policy could send petrol prices soaring above N1,000 per litre, with devastating consequences for families, transporters, farmers, and small businesses.
“From all indications, this new levy is likely to push the pump price of petrol beyond N1,000 per litre. If this happens, life would become even more unbearable for families, commuters, transporters, farmers, and small businesses already struggling under the weight of fuel subsidy removal without social protection and currency devaluation without safeguards,” Abdullahi said.
The party dismissed the government’s claim that the tax would protect local production as ‘flawed’, citing the collapse of the Port Harcourt refinery just five months after a $1.5 billion rehabilitation effort that resulted in a ₦366.2 billion loss.
“What has become clear to us is that the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda is, at best, a trial-and-error system and, at worst, a cynical, self-serving agenda that has no consideration for the ordinary people of Nigeria,” the party said.
The ADC accused the administration of deepening poverty through poorly timed economic policies that prioritise fiscal experiments over citizens’ welfare. It noted that while government officials continue to boast of economic progress, the daily realities of Nigerians tell a different story.
“While the government continues to push the narrative of economic progress, food, rent, and transport, not to mentionschool fees, continue to be priced out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians.
“If the government continues with this latest tax attack, it will further compound the people’s suffering,” Abdullahi said.
The party therefore demanded an immediate reversal of the policy, describing it as ‘ill-conceived and anti-people’. It said economic growth that condemns the majority to misery is neither sustainable nor moral.
“The ADC therefore firmly opposes this ill-conceived import duty and warns the government not to push the people to the wall. We demand that it be reversed immediately. Nigerians deserve a government that plans, not one that panics,” the party declared.
Challenging the federal government’s competence in managing the nation’s refineries, the ADC said it was unfair to penalise importers who have kept the energy market afloat despite official inefficiency.
“A government that cannot run its own refineries has no business taxing those who keep the country running with their sweat and blood. President Tinubu must understand that economic patriotism cannot be enforced through pain,” Abdullahi said.
While reiterating its support for private investment in the oil and gas sector, the ADC stressed that energy reforms should be implemented gradually and backed by transparent investment in local refining and social protection for vulnerable citizens.
“If the goal is energy security and domestic refining, let there first be transparent investment in local capacity. Until then, any tax imposed to discourage import will only lead to people paying more for imported fuel, which still stands at 60 percent of supply, a gap that cannot be substituted overnight,” Abdullahi said.
The party urged the Tinubu administration to demonstrate empathy and foresight in its economic decisions, warning that policies driven by panic or pressure would only further alienate the public.
“Nigerians are tired of paying for the government’s inefficiency. It is time to govern with compassion and competence, not experiments that turn citizens into casualties,” the party added.
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