The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has slammed President Muhammadu Buhari over his attempt to justify the increase in the price of fuel.
Buhari, in his 60th Independence Anniversary speech on Thursday, compared the cost of fuel in Nigeria with the cost in some other oil producing countries in Africa and Saudi Arabia, making the point that at N161 per litre, Nigeria’s price was the cheapest.
In its reaction, however, the opposition party drew the President’s attention to the fact that the minimum wage in Saudi Arabia at N305,113 (3000 Saudi Riyals), was 10 times higher than Nigeria’s N30,000 while that of Egypt, another country referenced by Buhari was N222, 841 (9,200 EGP).
The party also faulted the togetherness theme of the President’s speech, describing the allusion as a mere rhetoric.
According to the party, the present administration is founded “on nepotism, disregard for rule of law, human right abuses, corruption, political intolerance,” among others.
A statement signed by the PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan read in part: “President Buhari’s attempt to justify the increase of fuel price in Nigeria by comparing it to the N168 per litre cost in Saudi Arabia is a morbid joke.
“The minimum wage in Saudi Arabia is N305,113 (3000 Saudi Riyals), ten times higher than our paltry N30,000 which is largely unimplemented in Nigeria.
“Is Mr. President not aware that, on the average, a person working in Saudi Arabia earns around 4,230SAR (N430, 267) to 16,700 SAR (N1, 698,693) per month?
“Our party charges Mr. President to always check his books before making such offensive comparisons including the price in Egypt where monthly average earning is around N222, 841 (9,200 EGP) against our N30,000.
“In comparing our costs with other countries such as Ghana, Chad and Niger where purchasing powers of citizens are much more higher, did Mr. President reflect on the cost of house rent, education, healthcare and average dependence on fuel for daily survival by ordinary citizens as obtainable in Nigeria?
“If the flawed assertions as evident in Mr. President’s speech are a direct reflection of how policies are formulated in his administration, then one needs not wonder why our economy is in doldrums.
“Indeed, it is imperative to state that if the Buhari administration had summoned the competence and honesty to continue the programs already laid by previous administrations under our party to revive our refineries and provide infrastructural backbone for our productive sector, fuel price will not be more than N100 per litre, in addition to the gains from by-product from crude oil.
“The PDP therefore urges Mr. President to engender harmony and productivity by allowing for more robust discourse that will lead to affordable prices for fuel and other essential commodities in our country.
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“Our party also holds as ludicrous that President Buhari is hyping his ‘better together’ theme when the administration he heads, runs on nepotism, disregard for rule of law, human right abuses, corruption, political intolerance, suppression of free speech and aggression towards dissenting voices.
“We urge Mr. President to end his rhetoric and take practical steps to entrench the culture of rule of law and strengthen harmonious living through inclusiveness, equity in wealth distribution and equal access to opportunities for all Nigerians irrespective of creed, class, and ethnicity.
“Furthermore, credible elections are essential to harmonious living. Our party therefore restates our commendation to Mr. President for his new found commitment to non-interference in elections leading to conduct of free, fair and credible governorship election in Edo State on September 19.
“We urge President Buhari to toe the line of the Edo election in the October 10 Ondo governorship election so as to consolidate the legacy of free and fair election under his watch.
“Additionally, Mr. President should exert himself on rebuilding our economy by ending his borrowing spree and focusing on our productive capacity instead of his endless lamentation over his failures.
“Moreover, security is pivotal to our economic revival. The unceasing acts of insurgency, banditry and kidnapping in the last five years have wrecked our nation’s productivity and threatened her corporate existence.
“It is therefore worrisome that Mr. President’s speech did not address the call on him by Nigerians demanding that he rejigs his security architecture to inject new blood that will effectively confront our security challenges.
“Our party restates our belief in the potentials of our nation and urges Mr. President to seek help by engaging more competent hands to assist in handling the affairs of our nation.”
