Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the recent increase in petrol prices, calling it “unfortunate and insensitive.” In a statement on his X account, Obi criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for raising the price of petrol to N1,030 per litre, up from N897 in Abuja, without offering any explanation.
Obi highlighted the negative impact on the economy and citizens, emphasizing that the burden lies with the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, and President Bola Tinubu to reverse the price hike. He called for immediate action, stating, “With the unprecedented but avoidable hardship that Nigerians are enduring, the responsibility for reversing the sudden price hike falls squarely on the Honorable Minister of Petroleum Resources/President.”
Obi’s remarks come amid widespread discontent, with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) also criticizing the move. IPMAN noted that petrol prices from the Dangote Refinery to NNPC were much lower than what was being charged to independent marketers, further exacerbating the issue.
