Fuel Price: PDP Knocks Buhari Over Saudi Arabia, Egypt Comparison

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari over his Independence Day broadcast.

PDP, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the economic assertions in Buhari’s speech as a huge slap on the sensibilities of Nigerians.

The party wondered why the President should compare Nigeria with countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others.

The main opposition party pointed out that Buhari’s speech did not address demands by Nigerians.

The PDP berated Buhari over his attempt to justify recent hike in the pump price of fuel by comparing the equivalent of N168 per liter cost in Saudi Arabia, describing it as a morbid joke.

“Is Mr. President not aware that on the average, a person working in Saudi Arabia earns around 4,230SAR (N430, 267) to 16,700 SAR (N1,698,693) per month?

“Our party charges Mr. President to always check his books before making such offensive comparisons, including the price in Egypt where monthly average earning is around N222, 841 (9,200 EGP) against our N30,000.”

The party also frowned at Buhari’s comparison of Nigeria’s costs with other countries such as Ghana, Chad and Niger where purchasing powers of citizens are much higher.

“If the flawed assertions as evident in Mr. President’s speech are a direct reflection of how policies are formulated in his administration, then one needs not wonder why our economy is in doldrums,” the party stated.