The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a 15 per cent import duty on refined petroleum products, describing it as an “anti-people decision” that would further impoverish Nigerians.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Adebayo accused the President of overtaxing citizens.
“President Tinubu is a clever tax collector. He wants to collect taxes from you for everything, including the oxygen tax very soon. If you’re not careful, yes, the air we breathe. Just give him time; he’s going to get there,” he said.
The SDP candidate argued that the new tariff contradicts the ideals Tinubu once stood for, recalling his political roots in the Social Democratic Party during the Hope 93 campaign.
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“It is an anti-people decision and a trend in the new Tinubu. Tinubu that used to be in SDP, following Abiola everywhere, has practically changed to the side of the money people. They see you as a customer, not a citizen. If you have twins or triplets in your house, Tinubu is going to think of twins tax or multiple childbirth tax. He’s just thinking of how to collect more money. It’s wrong,” he said.
Adebayo warned that the import duty would worsen the economic hardship confronting citizens.
“If you put 15 per cent tariffs on imported petrol, who is going to pay for it? It’s going to be paid by the person who buys the petrol at the filling station,” he said.
The politician criticised the administration for failing to make Nigeria’s refineries functional despite billions spent on turnaround maintenance.
“You are the reason why we cannot meet our domestic consumption. The President is the Minister of Petroleum. What kind of chaotic system is this? You appointed yourself Minister of Petroleum, yet the refineries are not working. Because of that inefficiency, you are now surcharging Nigerians. Am I the reason why refineries are not working?” he queried.
He urged Tinubu to prioritise local refining rather than impose new taxes.
“What he needs to do is to call Heineken Lokpobiri and Bayo Ojulari and say, ‘I want those refineries to work. I give you six months, and I want fuel importation reduced to zero,” Adebayo said.
Naija News had earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu approved a 15 per cent ad-valorem import duty on petrol and diesel imports into Nigeria
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