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“When Will Nigerians Truly Breathe?” — Peter Obi Criticizes Tinubu Over Fuel Tax and CNG Price Hike
Sep 5, 2025
“When Will Nigerians Truly Breathe?” — Peter Obi Criticizes Tinubu Over Fuel Tax and CNG Price Hike
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Labour Party's 2023 presidential
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candidate Peter Obi has openly
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criticized the federal government recent
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introduction of a 5% tax on all refined
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fossil fuel sales including petrol and
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diesel set to commence in January 226.
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In a statement titled, "When will
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Nigerians truly breathe?" shared on his
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verified exhandle, Obi expressed concern
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over the additional financial burden
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this tax will impose on citizens already
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grappling with high transportation and
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living cost. Obied the irony of the
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government's move, noting that despite
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President Bolatinu's announcement of
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meeting revenue targets, the
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administration is imposing further taxes
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instead of elevating hardship. He
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questioned the rational lay behind
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taxing citizens who are already
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struggling especially when promised
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subsidies on alternatives like
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compressed natural gas have reportedly
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vanished. Obi pointed out that the cost
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of natural gas has surged from about 230
1:03
naira to 450 NRA per unit making it less
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affordable for the average Nigerian.
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Emphasizing the role of leadership in
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reducing suffering, obese or such the
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government to defer the implementation
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of fail tax until Nigerians begin to
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experience tangible improvement in their
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lives particularly in areas such as
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education, health care and poverty
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alleviation. He stressed that leadership
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should be about care and compassion, not
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adding to the populace burdens. The
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government initiatives to promote CNG as
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an alternative fuel source aim to reduce
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transportation cost by nearly 50%.
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However, the adoption has been slow due
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to inadequate infrastructure, poor
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implementation and limited public
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awareness. Many drivers remain skeptical
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citing safety concerns and discussion
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and referraling stations. Additionally,
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the cost of converting vehicles to CNG
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remains prohibitively high for many
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Nigerians.
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As the nation continues to grapple with
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economic challenges, OB's remarks
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resonate with many citizens who feel the
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weight of rising cost and unfulfilled
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promises. The debate over the fail tax
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and the effectiveness of alternative
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energy solutions like CNG remains a
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pressing issue in Nigeria's
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socioeconomic discourse. Was this worth
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