Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Adewole Adebayo, has slammed President Bola Tinubu for introducing a 15% import duty on refined petroleum products, describing the move as anti-people and exploitative.
Adebayo made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday. He accused the president of imposing excessive taxes on Nigerians who are already struggling with inflation and high living costs.
According to Adebayo, Tinubu has turned into a “clever tax collector” who wants to charge citizens for almost everything — including, someday, the air they breathe.
“President Tinubu is a clever tax collector. He wants to collect taxes for everything, including oxygen. If we’re not careful, he’ll soon tax the air we breathe,” Adebayo said.
He argued that the fuel import duty directly contradicts Tinubu’s earlier political ideals of fighting for the masses.
“This is an anti-people decision. The Tinubu of today is not the same Tinubu who once followed MKO Abiola around, shouting ‘Hope 93.’ Now, he sees Nigerians as customers, not citizens,” he said.
Adebayo mocked the government’s obsession with taxation, saying, “If you have twins, Tinubu may soon introduce a twins tax or multiple-birth levy. He’s always thinking of how to collect more money. It’s wrong.”
The SDP chieftain warned that the tariff will worsen Nigeria’s economic crisis by raising fuel prices, which in turn will trigger higher transport costs and commodity prices.
“If you put 15% tariffs on imported petrol, the people who will pay are Nigerians buying fuel at the filling stations,” he said.
Adebayo also faulted the president’s failure to fix Nigeria’s moribund refineries while still acting as Minister of Petroleum.
“You appointed yourself Petroleum Minister, yet the refineries aren’t working. Billions have been spent on turnaround maintenance, and we’re still importing fuel. Now, you’re punishing citizens for your inefficiency,” he fumed.
The SDP leader advised Tinubu to focus on reviving the country’s refineries rather than overburdening citizens with new taxes.
“What the president should do is call Heineken Lokpobiri and Bayo Ojulari and give them six months to make the refineries work. That’s how to end importation, not by taxing Nigerians to death,” Adebayo said.
The 15% tariff, recently approved by the Federal Government, has sparked widespread backlash from economists, trade unions, and civil society groups, who warn it could trigger another wave of inflation.
Many Nigerians fear that unless local production resumes, the government’s tax policies could worsen poverty and push small businesses to collapse.