By George Mgbeleke

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to introduce a temporary cap on petrol prices to prevent further increases that it says are worsening the cost-of-living crisis for millions of Nigerians. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said while global oil market volatility linked to the crisis in the Middle East may be contributing to the latest price hikes, the government must act to protect citizens from the impact.

The ADC also urged the introduction of targeted palliatives for low-income Nigerians and criticised the Federal Government’s plan to distribute 100,000 CNG conversion kits, noting that the figure represents less than one percent of Nigeria’s over 11 million vehicles and questioning the limited availability of CNG refuelling stations across the country.

The full statement read:

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) calls on the Federal Government to immediately introduce a temporary and time-bound cap on petrol prices to prevent further increases that continue to push the cost of living beyond the reach of millions of Nigerians.

Recent hikes in petrol prices reflect rising volatility in global oil markets, driven in part by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. However, the African Democratic Congress believes that external shocks cannot justify allowing fuel prices to spiral without restraint in an already fragile economy, one that continues to reel from the consequences of the Tinubu-led APC government’s abrupt removal of the fuel subsidy.

For everyday Nigerians, petrol determines the price of food, transportation, and survival. When petrol rises, everything else rises with it. This is why the African Democratic Congress urges the Federal Government to take urgent action to stabilize petrol prices. For once, the APC-led federal government should try to be responsible by taking responsibility for protecting citizens from the harshest consequences of the ongoing fuel price hikes.

We also call on the government to introduce targeted palliatives, particularly for low-income Nigerians who are most-affected by the impact of rising fuel prices.

The government must look beyond temporary solutions to real, scalable answers to Nigeria’s energy challenges. This is why the African Democratic Congress questions the practicality of the Federal Government’s recently announced plan to distribute 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits.
Nigeria has over 11 million vehicles on its roads. When placed in context, 100,000 CNG kits would reach less than one percent of the nation’s vehicle fleet.

A policy that touches only a fraction of vehicles cannot meaningfully address a national fuel crisis. Beyond that, the number of CNG refueling stations across the country remains extremely limited, raising serious questions about accessibility for ordinary Nigerians. If Nigerians cannot easily find where to refuel, then the policy risks becoming an announcement without real impact.

The African Democratic Congress therefore urges the Federal Government to pursue a more credible and comprehensive energy strategy that protects Nigerians from extreme fuel price shocks. Nigeria is an oil-producing country, and it should not be a place where the cost of petrol repeatedly pushes millions of citizens deeper into hardship

At a time of rising global uncertainty, protecting the welfare of citizens must remain the first duty of any government that knows what they are doing.

By Our Correspondent

Following the current increase in Petroleum pump price in the country,Motorists and other commuters in Owerri Imo State Capital parked their vehicles and resorted to trekking.

This development gave rise to most motorists and other commuters especially civil servants resort to trekking and walking to their places of businesses and work.

However, as at tuesday, the pump price of fuel which used to be ₦890, and ₦900 in some petrol stations now sale at ₦1,350 per litre while the pump price of diesel sales far more than the PMS price

Reacting to the sudden hike in fuel prices commuters and some petrol station operators claim that, ” it is not our fault but the government should explain the situation ”

Meanwhile, the increament has given rise to the upward adjustment of prices of goods and services particularly of food items.

Most people spoken to however called on the federal government to consider the economic plight on the people quickly intervene to alleviate the sufferings of the people.

By Rev. Fr. Oluoma.

It was the era of might is right. When Iran was Persia, it was as powerful as both USA and Israel combined. It invaded any nation it wanted, conquered, killed men, women, children, animals and even deported some.

There was no global outcry because there was no globe, just a bunch of countries and empires doing what they could and liked. When Iran was Persia, people didn’t protest in Nigeria as it overan any country. Neighbours only wished and prayed to whatever deity they believed for protection.

The crimes of powerful nations against weaker ones were totally satanic and sardonic when Iran was Persia. When some parts of Iraq was Babylon, same crimes happened. When other parts of it were Assyria, same story.

When Italy was the Roman Empire, same atrocities, if not more took place. The Greeks, The Macedonians, the Ottomans, the British, the Spanish and every Empire that existed did all that. The last of them was Nazi Germany and it didn’t shy from magnifying evil and artrocities. Technically the USA isn’t an empire as the Persian or British empires were, but it is still as powerful as they were.

The selfish interest of the powerful empires and nations, even to the detriment of the weaker ones has stubbornly remained a constant. The powerful nation is never driven by any altruistic or divine purpose, they are always driven by the insatiable egos of their rulers and interests of the Nation no matter what it costs the weaker nations. That hasn’t changed today.

There are more Christians in Iran than in Israel, more Muslims in Israel than Christians. This is for those who take sides or show sympathy rigidly based on religious sentiments and affinity. Saudi Arabia is regarded as the birthplace of Islam, yet they are ally to America and never chant “dead to America and Israel”.
Same goes for Kuwait, the UAE, they are Muslim contries by identity yet they have convivial relationship with the USA which hardliners in Iran see as the SATAN. My point is, if you are taking sides based on religion, you are simply an idiot refusing to consider obvious facts.

However, my focus is on the weaker nations. To survive sometimes, you make a deal with the powerful nation. That’s how weaker nations were spared of total annihilation when Iran was Persia, they made a deal on the terms and conditions of Persia. It was no symbiotic deal, the best a weaker nation could get is plea for some leniency and concessions.

Here is Iran today, blessed with oil and gas in such quantities that could turn the nation into one of the wealthiest in the world. Instead their leaders are pursuing a religious ideology and nuke ability. These pursuits hasn’t worked out for them, it has brought them woes. Why insist on them at the detriment of the common people?

Once again, I’m limiting the scope of this piece to survival. Does Iran have right to own nukes as some of their counterparts,YES, but that’s not gonna be my focus. Japan, Germany and most of the wealthy western countries to which Iranian citizens run to for a better life aren’t nuke nations and they have freedom of religion but not religious ideology. Besides Israel, Iran’s closest neighbors like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, The UAE do not have nukes and are flourishing in peace and prosperity.

Don’t tell me about human rights or anything. To have nuclear weapon is not a human right. It is already unfortunate for humanity that some countries possess it, one more having it doesn’t translate to human right.

In any case, this doesn’t canonise America and Israel as saints doing God’s will as some deluded christians think. The invasion of Iraq, ouster of Ghaddafi of Libya, military actions in places like Afghanistan should teach us unforgettable lessons about USA’s foray into the “might is right” heresy. So, this is me saying that the Iranian leaders uncannilly brought ant infested faggots into their nation, not an endorsement of Israel and the USA. It is about survival, but fanatics rather die and sacrifice others for their ideologies than survive.

Iran should learn how weaker nations survived when Iran was Persia and apply it now. It is easier today to avoid wars and invasion, far much easier than it was few decades going back. When same America came for Nigeria with the promise of ending ‘christian genocide’, the naive excitement of many people quickly gave way to frustration and disilussionment as the Tinubu government found a way to make a deal and now seem to be in partnership with the USA.

No more bombings, no threat of invasion again. It looks like Uncle Sam has got what he is looking for, and wiping out our terrorists, bandits, corrupt leaders and agents of insecurity isn’t it, or maybe not a priority yet.

Might is not right. Right is also not might, don’t just fight because you are right when you don’t have the might. Our Lord Jesus taught this wisdom about making peace with an aggressor if you can’t match his might at war, in Lk14:31

When Iran was Persia, eggs weren’t this available and affordable, now they are. All we need to survive and thrive are eggs not nukes.