Rufai Oseni: NNPC’s 30‑day petrol discount a subsidy, election hypocrisy

Rufai Oseni, speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday, October 9, 2026, accused the Federal Government of hypocrisy for launching a 30‑day petrol discount at NNPC filling stations, insisting it is a fuel subsidy despite Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele’s denial. He argued the move contradicts months of official stance that subsidy should not return and comes as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.

Oseni said the discount appears only now, after global crude prices exceeded $100 per barrel since March 8, and noted the government had failed to introduce sufficient relief measures earlier. He credited former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for pushing the issue into public debate, citing Atiku’s September 18 speech in which he told President Bola Tinubu he could rename the intervention and take credit, as long as Nigerians’ burden is reduced.

He warned that the temporary relief may disappear after the election, questioned who would bear the NNPC’s lost profit, and asked Nigerians to weigh whether a short‑term discount justifies a policy reversal, urging them to consider if they will accept the measure or demand sustained relief.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/09/subsidy-is-back-so-much-hypocrisy-in-nigeria-rufai-oseni/