Obidients Warn Tinubu Against Proposed 5% Fuel Surcharge, “Nigerians are Pushed Deeper Into Poverty”

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

FCT, Abuja – The Obidient Movement said the proposed five percent surcharge on fuel would further impoverish Nigerians already reeling under economic hardship.

The group, popular for its support for the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, described the plan as “a policy built on noble intentions, but destined for misery.”

The National Coordinator, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, warned the Presidnet Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government against introducing the policy.

As reported by The Punch, the group gave the warning in a statement issued on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

Tanko warned that the move would punish the poor and vulnerable, as fuel is not a luxury in Nigeria.

“For decades, Nigerians have been fed the same promises: new levies will ‘fix our roads,’ ‘power our hospitals,’ and ‘transform our economy.’ Instead, trillions vanish into the pockets of corrupt elites while our highways crumble, transport costs skyrocket, and ordinary Nigerians are pushed deeper into poverty.”

The group called on Tinubu’s government to instead expand the tax base, impose progressive taxes on luxury consumption, and cut wasteful spending.

“The Obidient Movement insists that no new fuel taxes should be imposed until there are credible, transparent mechanisms to ensure accountability, anti-corruption safeguards, and real relief for suffering citizens.”

“We want good roads, reliable infrastructure, and a strong economy. But these goals cannot and must not be pursued on the backs of already impoverished Nigerians. Until transparency, equity, and fairness guide our fiscal policies, we reject this 5% surcharge as yet another instrument of oppression against the people,”

Source: Legit.ng