Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticized President Bola Tinubu, referring to him as “T-Pain” in reaction to the recent increase in petrol prices.
On Wednesday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) raised fuel prices across the country, prompting widespread backlash.
In Abuja, the price rose from N897 to N1,030 per litre, while in Lagos it increased from N855 to N998.
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Prices in the North-East, South-West, South-East, and South-South regions also saw significant hikes, with the highest being N1,075 per litre in the South-South.
The price hike has stirred anger among Nigerians, with many calling on Tinubu to address the escalating costs.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, questioned whether Tinubu’s administration exists solely to raise fuel prices.
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Atiku, who competed against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, added his voice to the debate on Thursday through a post on X (formerly Twitter).
He attributed the country’s economic woes to the administration’s “haphazard and disingenuous” management of fuel subsidies.
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“As things stand, there will be no relief from the rising inflation, which is eroding the well-being of Nigerians. It is even more alarming that T-Pain appears unconcerned about the country’s hardship,” Atiku said.
The nickname “T-Pain,” typically associated with the American musician, has been adopted by social media users to criticize Tinubu for the increasing cost of living.
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Upon Tinubu’s return from an overseas trip last month, a social media user mocked him after he visited Maiduguri to offer condolences to flood victims, calling him “T-Pain” and commenting on his government’s response to the crisis.
In defense of the government, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated that the federal government was not responsible for the latest fuel price increase.
He explained that NNPCL acted independently, driven by market conditions in the energy sector, and that since the removal of fuel subsidies in May 2023, the government no longer has the authority to fix fuel prices under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
According to Idris, NNPCL had been absorbing the losses to keep fuel prices lower but could no longer sustain it.
