Buhari fleecing Nigerians with N145 per liter petrol price – Atiku

• Promises reduction in pump price of petrol to N90 in 2019

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, has promised to reduce the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS), petrol, to N87-N90 per litre after the 2019 general elections. The former Vice President expressed displeasure that Nigerians are being exploited by President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC government with the current N145 per liter pump price of petrol.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement by in Abuja on Thursday, indicated that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had consulted with international players in the oil industry and found that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is fleecing Nigerians.
National Daily gathered that the PDP complained that the cabals in the Buhari government are diverting N58 on every litre of petrol sold.
The PDP declared: “Our Presidential candidate, Atiku, has worked out a pricing template that will immediately crash the pump price of fuel in the country, since the Buhari-led APC administration, in its insensitivity, has failed to do the needful in the last 3 years.
“We completely reject the Buhari-led FG’s increase of the official prices of diesel and kerosene. Such increment will bring more economic pressure on the already impoverished nation, as most businesses and homes across the country heavily rely on these products for sustenance
“Our Party is talking with top international players in the oil and gas industry, and this engagement has shown that the appropriate pump price of fuel in the Nigerian market, under the current subsidy regimes of the Buhari Presidency, should be within the borders of N87 to N90.
“With the current price template of crude oil in the international market, the Buhari administration has no justification to keep the pump price of fuel at N145 per liter and watch Nigerians groan under the weight of high prices, while a cabal at the presidency loot the funds.
“For every N145 paid for a liter of fuel, the Buhari Presidency cabal diverts a hidden N58 which Nigerians have continued to pay since the fuel price was increased from N87 to presumably subsidized cost of N145.”
The PDP further challenged the APC government to account for N3.49 trillion “stolen” under the subsidy regime.
The statement further read: “Apart from the N1.4 trillion allegedly siphoned through sleazy oil subsidy deals, the Buhari-led FG is burdened to account for the over N3.49 trillion stolen under the hidden N58 per liter of fuel on over 50 million daily domestic consumption estimated in the last three years.
“We urge Nigerians not to despair as our Presidential candidate, Atiku, has already worked out a blueprint that will end sleazes, ensure appropriate pricing template and free resources to guarantee the availability of product on a national pricing regime.”