Petrol discount: Makinde/Daura campaign accuses Tinubu of political stunt

By Benedicta Aboh

The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of using the N60-per-litre petrol discount as a political gimmick to deflect public anger over economic hardship rather than provide meaningful relief to Nigerians.

The organisation said the reported increase in petrol prices from N1,370 to N1,410 per litre at filling stations in Abuja and other parts of the country had vindicated its earlier position that the discount was inadequate to address the rising cost of living.

In a statement issued by its Director of Communications, Richard Ihediwa, the campaign organisation accused the Federal Government of relying on propaganda to portray itself as responsive to the plight of Nigerians while citizens continued to grapple with mounting economic pressures.

It argued that the reported increase in petrol prices had further exposed the limitations of the government's intervention, insisting that temporary price concessions could not resolve the broader economic challenges confronting the country.

“The latest development also strengthens our position that no amount of propaganda can conceal the consequences of policies, whose promised benefits are not reflected in the daily lives of ordinary Nigerians,” the organisation said.

The campaign organisation also criticised the Tinubu administration's economic reform agenda, arguing that the promise of bold reforms had increasingly become a justification for policies that impose greater hardship on citizens.

“Nigerians cannot continue to be confronted with the hollow slogan of ‘bold economic reforms,’ which has become a euphemism for transferring the crushing burden of economic hardship onto citizens already struggling to survive,” it said.

It called for a fundamental review of the government's economic policies, maintaining that temporary relief measures would have little impact unless accompanied by broader changes capable of reducing the cost of living and improving the welfare of Nigerians.

The organisation further argued that the effectiveness of government policies should be measured by their tangible impact on households and businesses rather than official pronouncements or public relations campaigns.

Positioning the Makinde/Daura ticket as an alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections, the campaign organisation said its RESET NIGERIA Agenda was designed to promote responsible economic management, transparent resource governance and productive investment.

It maintained that Nigeria required a different approach to governance, one that would prioritise economic recovery, accountability and policies capable of improving the living conditions of ordinary citizens.

“Nigeria needs a complete RESET under a Makinde Presidency and not this propaganda-driven administration that have failed in all ramifications,” Ihediwa said.