The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) has criticised the Federal Government’s N60-per-litre petrol discount, describing it as a sham following reports that pump prices have risen from N1,370 to N1,410 per litre in Abuja and other parts of the country.
The campaign organisation accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of using the discount to deflect public anger over rising living costs, insisting that the measure offered no lasting solution to Nigerians’ economic hardship.
In a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Communications, Richard Ihediwa, the organisation said the latest price increase supported its earlier position that the discount was more of a political gesture than a sustainable intervention.
The MDPCO argued that the development had raised questions about the effectiveness of the government’s efforts to ease the burden of rising fuel prices on households and businesses.
It maintained that government publicity could not shield Nigerians from the effects of increasing living costs, adding that temporary concessions would remain inadequate without policies addressing the underlying economic challenges.
The campaign organisation also faulted the administration’s description of its economic policies as bold reforms, arguing that many Nigerians continued to struggle with the cost of meeting their basic needs.
According to the group, worsening economic hardship should not be normalised while temporary price relief is presented as a major government achievement.
It called on the Federal Government to reconsider policies contributing to the rising cost of living and prioritise citizens’ welfare, job creation, economic opportunities and transparent management of national resources.
The organisation further argued that meaningful economic relief would require a comprehensive approach rather than temporary concessions that could be undermined by subsequent price increases.
Presenting the presidential ticket of Seyi Makinde and Musa Daura as an alternative, the campaign council said its proposed RESET NIGERIA Agenda would focus on responsible economic management, transparent resource governance and productive investment.
It said the agenda was designed to offer a different approach to tackling the country’s economic challenges and improving citizens’ welfare.
The organisation urged Nigerians to consider what it described as a fundamental change in the country’s economic direction, rather than relying on what it called propaganda-driven governance.
“Nigeria needs a complete RESET under a Makinde Presidency and not this propaganda-driven administration that have failed in all ramifications,” the campaign council said.
The criticism comes amid continued public concern over petrol prices and their impact on transportation, food costs and the general cost of living.
However, the campaign organisation’s characterisation of the Federal Government’s discount as a political stunt represents its assessment of the policy.
