The Coalition for Better Nigeria has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action against the alleged manipulation of food and fuel prices across Nigerian markets.

The group acknowledged that recent reductions in the prices of key food commodities, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) have brought noticeable relief to households and businesses nationwide.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the coalition’s spokesperson, Ambassador Yahaya Garba, said the measures reflected leadership that is responsive to public suffering and willing to take difficult decisions in the national interest.

The coalition also commended President Tinubu for intervening to reduce air ticket prices nationwide, noting that the move has eased domestic travel and stimulated economic activity.

However, Garba raised concerns over what he described as contradictory market behaviour during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

He questioned why prices of food, hotel accommodation, and hospitality services rose sharply in cities such as Lagos, Delta, Port Harcourt, Akwa Ibom, Warri, and the Federal Capital Territory, while similar goods and services remained relatively affordable in parts of Northern Nigeria.

He further alleged that eateries and restaurants in parts of the South-East and some South-West states engaged in unchecked price escalation, while similar establishments in the North showed restraint.

“It raises grave concerns that some unpatriotic elements are deliberately weaponising commerce to deepen ethnic and religious fault lines,” Garba said. “When food prices become instruments of division and hospitality turns into exploitation, national unity is placed on a fragile ledge.”

He warned that if left unaddressed, such practices could erode public trust and damage the image of the presidency.

“We therefore call on President Tinubu to confront this emerging threat decisively and prevent the manipulation of markets as tools of sectional grievance,” he added.

The coalition also urged the President to direct regulatory agencies—including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)—to intensify surveillance, enforcement, and quality assurance in the food and hospitality sectors.

In a related development, the group commended President Tinubu for appointing Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), describing the decision as a vote of confidence in competence and experience.

According to the coalition, the appointment has generated goodwill for the President among the Itsekiri people. It congratulated Eyesan and urged her to investigate allegations surrounding the allocation of oil wells and fields to unqualified individuals and companies.

“Justice in the Niger Delta must not be selective,” Garba said. “Pipeline surveillance contracts should not be the preserve of a few favoured individuals. Host communities must be treated fairly and involved in decisions that affect their land and livelihoods.”

He stressed that the Niger Delta remains critical to the protection of national assets, adding that oil-producing communities, including the Itsekiri, must not be marginalised.

The coalition also praised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its anti-corruption efforts and called on President Tinubu to continue supporting the agency to enable it to effectively discharge its mandate.