…says petrol ‘discount’ is a scam as pump prices remain above ₦1,400 per litre
The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has urged Nigerian youths to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the January 16 presidential election, accusing the ruling party of failing the nation’s young people after years in power.
The ADC-PCC said the APC, after more than a decade in government, had failed to deliver meaningful improvements in the lives of Nigerian youths, leaving millions grappling with unemployment, poverty and an increasingly unbearable cost of living.
The Council maintained that Nigerian youths, who constitute a significant segment of the country’s population, deserve a government with practical solutions to their challenges and a clear vision for their future.
The Director of Media and Publicity of the ADC-PCC, Kola Ologbondiyan, made the call during an interaction with ADC youth leaders in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State at the weekend.
Ologbondiyan warned that voting Tinubu for a second term would amount to a grave political miscalculation by young Nigerians, who, he said, had borne the brunt of the APC administration’s economic policies.
“As youths, you have spent almost 12 years under the APC government confronting difficult economic circumstances, with many graduates struggling to find decent employment.
For far too many, the available options have been petty trading, recharge card sales and operating point-of-sale (POS) businesses simply to survive.
“Every promise made by this government appears to end in disappointment. The latest example is the so-called discount on petrol prices, which the government claims will bring the pump price down to ₦1,350 per litre.
“Check the filling stations in your neighbourhood, and you will discover that Nigerians are still paying above ₦1,400 per litre. What, then, is the reality behind this so-called discount?” he queried.
Ologbondiyan urged the youths not to continue supporting a political party that, according to him, had failed to provide credible answers to their economic and social challenges.
“You cannot continue to vote for a party that has failed to demonstrate a clear commitment to your future. The time has come to support a candidate who has proposed practical measures to make life affordable for Nigerians.
“Go to your various wards and take the message of affordable living to the people. Tell Nigerians that an alternative is available through our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi,” he said.
Ologbondiyan described the purported petrol price discount announced by the Tinubu administration as misleading, arguing that the government’s announcement had not translated into the expected relief for ordinary Nigerians.
He insisted that motorists and other petrol consumers continued to face high pump prices, while reports of queues at filling stations pointed to persistent difficulties in accessing the product.
“No Nigerian should be asked to celebrate a discount that exists only in government announcements while the reality at the filling stations tells a different story.
“People are still buying petrol above ₦1,400 per litre, and Nigerians continue to struggle with the cost of transportation, business operations and other essential services.
“You cannot announce relief on television and social media and expect Nigerians to ignore what they experience every day. The people need tangible relief, not another round of publicity,” he said.
He accused the APC administration of repeatedly making promises that, in the ADC-PCC’s assessment, had failed to produce meaningful improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
According to him, the government has relied excessively on propaganda and public announcements while millions of citizens continue to grapple with rising living costs and the consequences of what he described as harsh and insensitive economic policies.
“This government will always announce one phantom relief or another, but the reality on the ground remains different. Token measures cannot resolve the hunger and hardship Nigerians are experiencing.
“After years in government, Nigerians deserve more than promises, excuses and propaganda. They deserve policies that work and leadership that understands their pain,” Ologbondiyan stated.
The ADC , PCC spokesman expressed confidence that Atiku Abubakar would adopt a more transparent and people-oriented approach to managing the petroleum sector when elected president.
He said the Atiku/Amaechi ticket was committed to addressing the economic pressures confronting Nigerians and ensuring that government policies prioritised the welfare of citizens.
“Atiku Abubakar understands the pain Nigerians are going through. His approach will be guided by transparency, accountability and the need to ease the burden on ordinary citizens.
“His position on fuel subsidy and petroleum sector management is that Nigerians must benefit from a system that is transparent, accountable and responsive to their needs.
“Unlike what we have witnessed under Tinubu, Atiku’s proposed approach will seek to ensure that economic policies do not impose unnecessary suffering on the people. His plans for the oil sector would be people-oriented, practical and transparent, rather than driven by announcements that do not translate into relief,” he said.
Ologbondiyan urged Nigerian youths to scrutinise the records of the APC government and assess the competing presidential candidates on the basis of their policies, performance and commitment to the country’s future.
He called on young Nigerians to mobilise across their communities and wards in support of the ADC, insisting that the Atiku/Amaechi ticket offered an alternative to the economic hardship and uncertainty confronting the country.
“Do not allow yourselves to be deceived again by promises that are not matched by results. Your future is too important to be sacrificed on the altar of political propaganda.
“Enough of a government of promises and failures. Nigerian youths deserve decent jobs, affordable living conditions, opportunities to succeed and a government that takes their aspirations seriously.
“Nigeria deserves better,” he concluded.
