The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Wednesday expressed disappointment that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal administration “has started on a very toxic fashion by hiking the purchasing prices of petrol”. The rights group condemned the price reviews “as wicked, obnoxious, brutish, and absolutely unacceptable”. It has called on Nigerians “not to suffer and smile or die in silence but to take peaceful steps to demonstrate publicly against this wicked act of the new government.”

It said in a statement: “HURIWA is calling on the new government to keep in mind that before it came on board, its predecessor which is also from the same political party had absolutely destroyed the national economy of Nigeria and had pushed over 100 million households into absolutely poverty.”

The rights group said the new President “may have increased the pump prices of petrol as announced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company limited to pay back millions of deprived and oppressed voters for rejecting the All Progressives Congress at the Presidential poll.” It stated that “the wicked manner this government has started by unleashing punishing scarcity of fuel and hiking the costs of buying fuel as a clear demonstration that the Independent National Electoral Commission simply rigged it into office and therefore the federal government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not have the humane conscience to do pro-people policies since it has no popular mandate from the voters.”

HURIWA recalled that following the announcement by President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration that the Federal Government will no longer pay subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd has effected an upward adjustment in the price of petrol across the country.

The rights group stated: “According to the price template, the price of petrol has now been adjusted upward from between N189 to N194 to N537 per litre in Abuja and other North-Central states such as Nasarawa, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, Benue and Niger. For Lagos and other South West states such as Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and Osun, the price of PMS was raised from between N184 and N189 per litre to between N488 and N500 per litre. In the South East where states such as Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi, the price was increase from between N184 and N189 per litre to N515 to N520. Similarly, in the North-West, the price of PMS was raised from N194 per litre to N540 while for the North-East, it moved from N199 to N550 per litre.”

HURIWA however faulted the newly circulated pump prices as fraudulent and anti-free market ideals since the Petroleum sector is said to have been deregulated, it therefore beggars belief that NNPC Limited that is a commercially registered firm can still regulate the pump prices rather than let market forces of demand and supply to determine the appropriate pricing status just as the Rights group said the policy of pump price upward reviews will drive another 100 million Nigerians into absolute poverty meaning that both Presidents produced by APC since 2015 namely Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Ahmed Tinubu have now collectively driven 200 million households into absolute poverty.

The group said only those who steal government money can afford the new pump price of petrol just as the Rights group predicted high crime rates and possible violence that may be precipitated by this evil, obnoxious, toxic and anti-people initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“This policy will drive many unemployed youths into organised crime just to be able to pay the high costs of transportation and high costs of living. The remaining millions of youngsters who can’t stain their good names will then try to migrate illegally out of the country to go to humane countries with effective welfarist governments in Europe.”

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