Social commentator Isaac Fayose has criticised Nigerians who protested against petrol prices during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration but now praise President Bola Tinubu despite the much higher cost of fuel.
In a viral video, Fayose compared the price Nigerians paid for petrol during the Jonathan era with current pump prices, questioning what he described as a change in standards when judging the two administrations.
“You bought fuel at ₦98 during former President Jonathan’s administration, came out to protest, saying it was too expensive and that Jonathan didn’t know how to manage the economy. Now you’re buying fuel at ₦1,500 and calling President Tinubu a builder. It shows how foolish you are,” Fayose said.
His comments come amid renewed pressure over petrol prices in Nigeria. Recent reports put petrol at around ₦1,400 per litre in Lagos and Abuja and as high as ₦1,500 in parts of northern Nigeria.
The comparison also touches on the history of fuel-subsidy protests in Nigeria. In January 2012, the Jonathan administration announced a major reduction in petrol subsidy, triggering the nationwide Occupy Nigeria protests and widespread opposition to the policy.
Historical accounts show that petrol prices at the time were significantly lower than current prices. The pump price had been reduced to ₦87 per litre in January 2015, shortly before Jonathan left office.
Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy shortly after taking office in May 2023, leading to a sharp increase in pump prices. Since then, petrol prices have undergone several further increases amid changes in crude oil prices, exchange rates, domestic supply and other market factors.
Fayose’s latest remarks focus on what he sees as a contradiction in how some Nigerians respond to rising fuel costs depending on which political administration is in power.
The statement has generated reactions online, with Nigerians debating whether the economic circumstances surrounding the different fuel-price increases can be directly compared and whether political supporters apply consistent standards when assessing government policies.
Fayose has repeatedly spoken about the rising cost of petrol under the Tinubu administration, using social media and public commentary to question the government’s handling of the country’s energy sector.
His latest remarks have once again placed fuel prices and the different public reactions to subsidy policies under previous and current administrations at the centre of online discussion.
