Prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Delta State, Chief Ayiri Emami, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a 15 per cent import duty on petrol and diesel, warning that the policy will worsen the hardship facing millions of Nigerians.
Emami voiced his concerns during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, October 30, describing the new tax as “ill-timed” and “misguided.”
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), which proposed the policy, said it was introduced to protect domestic refineries, stabilise the oil sector, and strengthen Nigeria’s refining capacity.
FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, explained that the initiative was designed to “operationalise crude transactions in local currency, strengthen local refining capacity, and ensure a stable, affordable supply of petroleum products across Nigeria.”
But Emami argued that the new tax would place a heavier burden on citizens rather than on oil marketers.
“Anybody advising Mr President to impose a 15 per cent tax on petroleum right now is not doing him any good,” Emami said.
“This kind of policy will not hurt marketers — it will hurt ordinary Nigerians. Whatever tax you put on petroleum goes straight back to the people on the streets. Nigerians are already hungry and struggling,” he added.
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He lamented that rising fuel costs have already crippled daily life, particularly for rural and riverine communities that depend on fishing and transport.
“When you buy fuel, it determines whether you can even go out to fish. It’s not that the fish are gone — it’s that we can’t afford to reach them anymore,” Emami said.
The APC stalwart urged the President to suspend the policy until the government provides meaningful relief to citizens.
“For me, that 15 per cent should be kept aside until the government provides more relief to Nigerians. Even after removing the fuel subsidy, we haven’t seen much positive reflection. Things are still hard. So why add another burden?” he said.
Emami further suggested that some individuals around the President may be misleading him on key economic decisions.
“Some people don’t care about Mr President or what he’s going through — they just want to create more problems. Those are my honest opinions on the matter,” he added.