The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised opposition parties for condemning the Federal Government’s 30-day petrol discount, accusing them of placing political interests above the welfare of Nigerians.

The party’s spokesman, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, said the opposition should acknowledge the potential benefits of the intervention while scrutinising its implementation and offering alternative solutions to the country’s economic challenges.

Oladejo, in a statement on Friday, said the Federal Government’s decision to introduce the discount through Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) retail outlets, with priority given to public transport operators, was intended to provide immediate relief to Nigerians grappling with rising transportation and living costs.

He said the opposition’s reaction to the initiative reflected what he described as a preference for political point-scoring over constructive engagement with policies aimed at easing economic hardship.

“At a time when Nigerians are grappling with the impact of rising petrol prices on transportation, food prices, household budgets and business operations, one would ordinarily expect a responsible opposition to welcome any credible intervention aimed at easing the burden on citizens, while offering constructive suggestions for improvement,” he said.

The Lagos APC spokesman acknowledged concerns about the sustainability of the intervention, particularly what would happen after the 30-day period, but argued that such questions should not invalidate any immediate relief the measure could provide.

He urged the Federal Government to explain its exit strategy, the criteria for reviewing the initiative and the complementary measures being pursued to achieve greater price stability.

Oladejo also called for transparency in the implementation of the discount, insisting that the government must ensure that the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries and that Nigerians can verify its impact.

He said the opposition’s concerns about a possible return of fuel subsidy should be examined against the structure of the policy, including its financing, cost accounting and safeguards against abuse.

“The government has distinguished this arrangement from a blanket subsidy. That distinction deserves examination on its merits, including how the discount is financed, how costs are accounted for and what safeguards exist against abuse,” he said.

He challenged opposition parties to present credible evidence of fiscal irresponsibility or legal irregularities if they believed the arrangement was flawed, rather than relying on political labels.

Oladejo, however, acknowledged that a 30-day petrol discount alone could not resolve the country’s cost-of-living challenges, noting that broader measures were needed to stabilise prices and strengthen household purchasing power.

He said these measures should include improving domestic refining and fuel distribution, reducing logistics costs, supporting public transportation and expanding access to affordable credit.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu’s administration must continue to pursue these objectives with urgency and demonstrate measurable results.

The APC spokesman added that the party would continue to hold the government accountable for its performance while defending reforms and interventions it considered properly designed and effectively implemented.

He also challenged the opposition to explain what it would do differently if it considered the 30-day arrangement inadequate, including how its proposed alternative would be financed and how quickly it would deliver tangible benefits.

Oladejo urged political actors to avoid exploiting the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians for partisan advantage as the country approaches another election cycle.

He maintained that the government’s initiative should be assessed based on its implementation, transparency and measurable outcomes, rather than dismissed solely because of its limited duration.

“The Lagos APC therefore welcomes the Federal Government’s initiative as a step towards providing immediate relief, while insisting that its implementation must be transparent, its benefits verifiable and its successor measures clearly communicated,” he said.

He added that the party’s position was to support interventions that benefit Nigerians, scrutinise their implementation and improve areas requiring further attention.