ADC Warns Tinubu Against New Fuel Tax Says Nigerians Can’t Take More Pain

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned President Bola Tinubu against worsening the economic hardship facing Nigerians following his approval of a 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the policy would push petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre and deepen the suffering caused by subsidy removal and currency devaluation.

The ADC described the new tax as “insensitive and poorly timed,” saying it could cripple small businesses, transporters, farmers, and families already struggling with rising food, rent, and school costs.

The party argued that the government’s justification of protecting local refining was flawed, noting that the Port Harcourt refinery collapsed just months after a $1.5 billion rehabilitation that resulted in a ₦366.2 billion loss.

“The Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda has turned into a trial-and-error system that disregards the suffering of ordinary Nigerians,” Abdullahi said.

He added that it was unfair for a government that cannot run its refineries to punish importers who keep the market supplied, warning that such policies could trigger public anger.

The ADC demanded an immediate reversal of the import duty, calling it “anti-people and ill-conceived.” It urged the government to invest transparently in local refining and provide social protection before imposing new taxes.

“Nigerians are tired of paying for government inefficiency. It’s time to govern with empathy, not experiments that turn citizens into casualties,” the statement added.