The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has criticised the Federal Government’s plan to offer Nigerians a 30-day petrol discount through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), describing the administration as confused.
Adebayo argued that the temporary intervention lacked a clear legal foundation and a practical implementation plan capable of addressing the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
The controversy followed an announcement by the Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, that the NNPCL would sell petrol at cost for 30 days.
Oyedele explained that the initiative was not a return to fuel subsidy but a temporary measure intended to provide some relief to Nigerians struggling with the high cost of petrol.
However, speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Adebayo questioned the legality, structure and effectiveness of the proposed intervention.
He argued that the Federal Government had failed to identify any law authorising the arrangement or explain the financial mechanism through which the discount would be implemented.
The SDP chieftain also questioned why the Ministry of Finance had not established a dedicated account for the programme and why the government had not presented a clear framework outlining how the policy would operate.
Adebayo further expressed concern that the officials who announced the initiative were not representatives of the NNPCL, the company expected to implement the petrol pricing arrangement.
According to him, the absence of clear explanations and institutional coordination raised questions about the government’s preparedness to deliver the promised relief.
He described the 30-day discount as a temporary gesture that would do little to address the broader economic challenges confronting Nigerians.
Drawing a comparison with the popular 1990s television comedy Fuji House of Commotion, Adebayo referred to the administration as “Tinubu’s House of Commotion”, suggesting that the government was struggling to manage the consequences of its policies.
“What they are presenting is Tinubu’s House of Commotion. It does not make any sense in any way. 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.
Adebayo added that the government appeared to be losing direction because of the difficulties created by its own decisions.
“Long and short, it looks to me like the government is genuinely now and sincerely confused because they have created problems for themselves,” he stated.
The proposed petrol discount comes amid continued concerns over fuel prices and the rising cost of living in Nigeria.
While the Federal Government has presented the initiative as a temporary intervention rather than a reinstatement of fuel subsidy, Adebayo maintained that the absence of clear legal authority, financial arrangements and an implementation framework undermined its credibility.
The government has yet to address all the concerns raised by the SDP presidential candidate in the reported interview.
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