The Oodua People’s Congress has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately reverse the increase in electricity tariffs and lower the prices of food and fuel as a gesture of goodwill. It has also called for dialogue between the government and organisers of the planned protest against the economic hardships that Nigerians are facing.
Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, the president of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation that offered the advice, called on President Tinubu to immediately issue an Executive Order opening up all of the country’s borders in the South-West and South-South for a rapid inflow of food that would lower prices. The organisation also urged the protestors to remain non-violent and follow the path of dialogue.
In order to address the issue of insufficient and costly petroleum products, the President of the OPC urged the government to focus its efforts on nation’s refineries to produce domestic fuel to solve the problem of inadequate and expensive petroleum products.
“A hungry man is an angry man. The government must crash the price of food, electricity and fuel for peace to reign and for people to know that the government cares about their welfare,” Afolabi said.
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“If one man, Aliko Dangote, can build a refinery in less than 10 years, how can ordinary maintenance of four full-fledged and functional refineries become an impossible task since 1999 when civilians took over power? What is the mystery?
“The government must identify, expose and apprehend cabals and all the enemies making life unduly difficult for commoners in Nigeria. This nation belongs to all of us and Nigerians must be able to enjoy their commonwealth.”
