Senator John James AkpanUdoedehe, National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker Committee has said that the party is opposed to any planned hike in the pump price of petroleum products, as he allays the fears Nigerians, amidst fuel queues noticed in some urban cities.
Senator AkpanUdoedehe said the party is not oblivious of the ripple effect of such increase on the people against the backdrop of an already haemorrhaging economy, stressing that the time was not right for any increase.
He made the disclosure during the launch of a quarterly media parley organized by APC Professionals Forum , geared to systematically showcase laudable achievement of the party despite widespread criticism that the administration was a failure.
Senator Udoedehe who represented the APC National chairman at the event said the party took the position despite the difficulty the government has found itself, and commended President Mohammadu Buhari for responding to the plight of Nigerians.
He said the president has also responded to the complaint of various stakeholders of the party, many of whom he said benefited from recent board appointment exercise announced by the government, and lauded initiative of the Forum.
The government he disclosed is also not relenting extending patronage to all those working and defending president Mohammadu Buhari from lies perpetrated by critics.
“Another thing we have achieved which is recent is the issue of the pump price of petroleum. The party said no to it even though they have discussed it. It doesn’t matter the circumstances. The party say the time is not ripe.
“That is the position of the party. And they listened. We have tabled the matter”
“One of the thing they are doing for you now, is that we should attach you to all political appointees who are working for the party, who keep defending the President from lies of the detractors and those who are against him. They want to downgrade the government.
There have not been a government like this in the history of the nation. And i am not playing politics. Show me any government that has done much than President Buhari that has direct link with the masses.
“If you go to the villages, the camps are full with people taking their 20k from the PWF. everywhere in Nigeria. People are having accessi.
“The president has thrown his door open for everybody. It doesn’t matter which party you belong. In the days of PDP, it was not so. It is either PDP or nothing. The President allows everyone to key into his program. As I am talking with you now, people are collecting loans and Covid-19 palliative. Go to the ministry of labour and you will find people collecting 450k to 1 million. And they are not saying anything. Nigerians are enjoying the program.