The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Federal Government against increasing the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS) to N212 per liter, saying such would instigate mass protest across the country.
The opposition party insisted that any contemplation for N212 pump price would be pushing Nigerians to the wall, adding that the attendant situation was capable of worsening an already tense situation and lead to economic and social crisis in the country.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Olagbondiyan, described the N212 per liter new price regime allegedly being contemplated in the March pricing template by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration as insensitive, and callous.
According to him, it is a barefaced fact that there is no way that Nigerians can survive such hike in fuel price, which will worsen the already agonizing economic situation in the country.
Through a statement released to newsmen on Friday, Ologbondiyan said that with the obtainable economic situation, national production capacity, and potentialities, the domestic price of fuel should not exceed N70 per liter.
Furthermore, he alleged that the continuous unjustified increase in the price of fuel was a deliberate scheme by the Buhari administration to fleece Nigerians of billions of naira on daily basis.
“Nigerians have endured enough under the suppressive, corrupt, insensitive, and incompetent APC administration and it is our concern that any further increase in fuel price may become the last straw that might break the camel’s back as already cautioned by our party last month.
“Our party had cautioned that with over 100 million citizens living in abject poverty, with an alarming 23% unemployment rate and many more living below N500 a day, any increase in fuel price is capable of triggering a mass protest in the land.
“This is particularly as the APC and its government has been unable to account for the over N15 trillion allegedly stolen by APC leaders. The PDP, therefore, charges the APC and its administration to save the nation the trouble by ending every contemplation of fuel price increase, particularly at this time Nigerians are expecting a downward review in prices.
“Furthermore, our party calls on all patriotic Nigerians to remain calm but very alert in readiness, within the ambit of our laws and opportunities granted under our democracy, to stand up for, rescue, and defend our national patrimony and collective wealth,” the statement said.
