The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of worsening economic hardship in Nigeria following a rise in petrol prices to as much as ₦1,470 per litre.

The party said the increase had made transportation and other basic necessities more expensive, pushing Nigerians “dangerously close to the limits of human endurance”.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the impact of higher petrol prices was being felt across food, transportation, electricity, education, and other areas of daily life.

“President Tinubu has turned the petrol pump into an instrument of punishment for everyday Nigerians. Food, transportation, electricity, education, and everything Nigerians need to survive responds directly to the price of fuel and combine together to make life difficult for the majority of Nigerians,” the party said.

The ADC also cited reports that private schools had increased fees by between 30 and 40 per cent, describing the development as another indication of the economic pressure on families.

It said the increases were taking place at a time when incomes had not risen by a similar margin, leaving parents to contend with higher costs of fuel, food, rent, transportation, and education.

“Parents are not earning 40 per cent more. Their salaries have not risen with the prices of fuel, food, rent, transportation, and school fees. Yet, at every turn, this government demands that already exhausted families pay more.”

The opposition party said it did not blame school proprietors for the fee increases, noting that they were also grappling with rising taxes, electricity bills, fuel costs, rent, and salaries.

“Parents, workers, and businesses are all casualties of Tinubu and the APC’s economy.”

The ADC described the prevailing petrol price as an additional burden on Nigerians, saying its effects extended beyond the cost of transportation.

“At N1,470 per litre, petrol is no longer simply a commodity. It is a Tinubu Tax, which has made life unbearable for the majority. Under Tinubu and the APC, Nigerians have been tightening their belts. Now, there are no more holes left, and people have started to choke. Families are now skipping meals, withdrawing children from school, abandoning medical treatment and shutting down businesses,” it said.

The party also criticised the government for demanding sacrifices from ordinary Nigerians while, according to it, public officials continued to fund extravagant lifestyles with public resources.

“A reform that continuously makes the people poorer is not working. An economic policy that produces impressive figures at government briefings but hunger in Nigerian homes is a failure. When parents must choose between feeding their children and educating them, the government has failed spectacularly in its most basic responsibility.”

Looking ahead to the 2027 presidential election, the ADC said Nigerians would face a choice between continuing with what it described as Tinubu’s “punishment” and the relief programme proposed by its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The party reiterated Atiku’s commitment to reducing petrol prices by restoring subsidies to support domestic fuel production. It said the proposal would help ease the cost of food, transportation, and production.

“Unlike Tinubu and APC, we recognise that economic reform must serve the people, not sacrifice them,” the ADC said.

“Nigeria cannot be an oil-producing country whose citizens see every visit to a filling station as punishment.”

The party also warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against interpreting Nigerians’ patience as approval or surrender.

“Our resilience must not become an excuse for continued cruelty. Tinubu has had enough time and inflicted enough pain. The people are suffering, businesses are dying, and hope is becoming increasingly expensive. President Tinubu must act now. Don’t push Nigerians to their limits,” the ADC said.