By Julius Peter, Abuja

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the Federal Government’s announcement of a 30-day discount on petrol sold through Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) retail outlets, describing the initiative as “tokenism and deceit.”

The party, in a statement issued on Thursday, October 8, 2026, said the temporary reduction was inadequate to address the economic hardship Nigerians had experienced following the removal of petrol subsidy by the Bola Tinubu administration.

The NDC was reacting to the announcement by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, that the Federal Government would offer a discount on petrol dispensed by NNPC Ltd. for an initial period of 30 days, with priority given to public transport operators across the country.

Oyedele had explained that the arrangement should not be regarded as a return to fuel subsidy, but rather as an intervention under which the government would sell petrol at cost for the specified period.

However, the NDC described the measure as an attempt by the government to reintroduce petrol subsidy “through the backdoor,” alleging that the administration was responding to mounting economic pressures and public dissatisfaction.

The party argued that the temporary discount could not address the broader consequences of the removal of subsidy, which it said had significantly affected households, businesses and workers across the country.

According to the NDC, Nigerians who had lost their jobs or whose businesses had collapsed as a result of the economic consequences associated with the subsidy removal required more sustainable interventions rather than a short-term reduction in the price of petrol.

The party also expressed concern over the impact of rising living costs on access to healthcare, alleging that the deterioration in economic conditions had contributed to severe hardship for vulnerable Nigerians.

“Nigerians cannot be deceived,” the party declared, questioning what would happen to millions of citizens whose livelihoods had allegedly been affected by the economic policies of the administration.

The NDC further questioned the practicality of restricting the discounted petrol to designated NNPC retail outlets, particularly given Nigeria’s large population and the geographical spread of motorists and public transport operators across the country.

It argued that the number and distribution of NNPC retail outlets might not be sufficient to meet the demand generated by millions of Nigerians seeking access to discounted petrol.

The opposition party warned that concentrating demand at selected filling stations could result in long queues and overcrowding, potentially creating safety challenges.

It questioned whether the policy could lead to another round of congestion at filling stations, warning that inadequate distribution arrangements could expose citizens to avoidable risks.

The NDC also criticised the Federal Government’s explanation that the initiative was not a subsidy, insisting that the arrangement amounted to an attempt to provide temporary relief after the administration had earlier removed the petrol subsidy.

The party said the policy raised several questions about the government’s economic direction, arguing that a 30-day intervention could not adequately resolve the structural challenges confronting the Nigerian economy.

It accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of failing to provide sufficient cushioning measures for Nigerians before implementing policies that had increased the cost of transportation, food and other essential goods and services.

The NDC described the temporary petrol discount as a “Greek gift,” alleging that the government’s approach demonstrated a lack of adequate planning and consultation before the removal of subsidy.

The party further claimed that the economic policies of the administration had failed to deliver the relief promised to Nigerians, describing what it termed “Emilokanomics” as unsuccessful.

It also accused the Federal Government of being under pressure ahead of the 2027 general elections, alleging that the petrol discount was politically motivated.

According to the party, the development was evidence of what it described as a government struggling to manage the consequences of its economic policies.

The NDC said the current economic situation required more comprehensive reforms capable of addressing unemployment, inflation, transportation costs, business closures and declining purchasing power rather than temporary measures.

The party maintained that Nigerians needed policies that would strengthen domestic production, create jobs, reduce the cost of doing business and improve the purchasing power of households.

It further argued that sustainable economic recovery could not be achieved through short-term interventions alone.

The NDC, however, presented its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as the alternative capable of changing the direction of the country.

“Hope is on the way,” the party declared, expressing confidence that Obi, under the platform of the NDC, would “put Nigeria back on the right track.”

The party urged Nigerians to prepare for the 2027 general election, calling on voters to support Obi and other NDC candidates.

It specifically urged Nigerians to come out en masse on January 16, 2027, to vote against what it described as an “incompetent” APC-led government.

The statement was signed by Osa Director, Esq., National Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

The Federal Government’s 30-day petrol discount comes amid continuing efforts to cushion the impact of high transportation and living costs on Nigerians, with public transport operators expected to be among the principal beneficiaries of the intervention.

While the NDC has rejected the initiative as insufficient, the government maintains that the arrangement is intended to provide temporary relief without reverting to the broad-based petrol subsidy regime that was discontinued by the administration.