The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government over its decision to withdraw the proposed 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel, saying the reversal shows that the Tinubu administration is not thinking through its policies before announcing them.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on Friday, the party said the latest U-turn proves once again that the government is confused, unsure, and merely experimenting with governance.
Abdullahi recalled that the party had, on October 31, warned that the planned tariff would worsen hardship for Nigerians already struggling with rising living costs, subsidy removal and a weakened currency.
“While we welcome the decision of the government to reverse itself on the wrong-headed policy, we are concerned that this reversal is about the seventh occasion in two years where this government would announce a policy or decision and immediately reverse itself.
“As we noted in our statement reacting to the planned tariff, the new levy is likely to push the pump price of petrol beyond N1,000 per litre. If this happens, life would become even more unbearable for families, commuters, transporters, farmers, and small businesses already struggling under the weight of fuel subsidy removal without social protection and currency devaluation without safeguards.”
The party said it had also questioned why the government was considering a tax on imported fuel when local production capacity had not been secured.
The ADC also noted that the same concerns it raised were later cited by the Federal Government as the basis for the reversal, raising doubts about whether proper analysis or careful planning takes place within the administration.
According to the ADC, the repeated policy flip-flops show that the Tinubu government operates on trial and error, experimenting with decisions rather than following a clear, thought-through direction.
The party added that the situation was made worse by the conflicting messages coming from various government agencies, which offered different explanations for the policy reversal.
It said one agency claimed the tariff had only been put on hold, while another insisted it had been completely abandoned, reflecting a lack of coordination and clarity within the administration.
“This inconsistency portrays a government that is uncertain and working at cross purposes, to the detriment of citizens who deserve more coherent leadership.
“The party urged the Tinubu administration to understand that governing requires responsibility and careful judgment, and reaffirmed its commitment to defending Nigerians against policies that may harm their welfare,” he said.
