The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) has advised Nigerians to endure the recent increase in prices of petrol and electricity tariff and enjoy the gains soon.
The party gave the advise in a Tuesday statement authored by Yekini Nabena, the deputy national publicity secretary of the ruling party.
This is coming despite opposition to the increase from the opposing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and critics including labour unions.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) is not oblivious of the financial strains brought by the increase in fuel pump price and electricity rates. We urge Nigerians to endure now and enjoy gains soon,” Mr Nabena said.
“The reviews are crucial and hard thought decisions by government. On the positive side, the short and long-term benefits on the citizenry and our national life will become obvious and directly felt in critical sectors such as health, education, infrastructure and social services targeted at the poor,” he added.
The APC said despite the increase, the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari is working at improving electricity nationwide and improve local refining capacities, which it said, are already on course to achieving and maintain a competitive, market-driven, transparent and accountable petroleum pricing template which meets global best practices, particularly in a developing country like Nigeria.
It also attacked the PDP and critics while urging stakeholders not to be cowed by the antics of the opposition party whom it said stole resources meant to improve the sector.
“We urge stakeholders, particularly the organised labour such as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) not to be hoodwinked by skewed opposition party narratives on the deregulation exercise and electricity tariffs.
“The same partisans have failed to account for and return trillions of naira stolen from national coffers in the guise of subsidizing fuel and the degrading of the electricity sector under their watch despite huge allocations and subsequent theft of the resources meant go improve the sector.
“We urge all to support the current administration’s economic policies to uplift Nigerians,” the party said.
