Kukah to APC leaders: Nigerians are hungry… petrol price must be reduced

Matthew Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto diocese, has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to prevail on the federal government to reverse the recent hike in the petrol price.

Kukah spoke on Friday at the unveiling of the progressive institute (TPI), the tink tank of the APC.

On September 3, the National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited increased the pump price of petrol to N855 across its retail outlets in the country.

The price of the product was increased at petrol stations across the country, ranging from N855 per litre to over N1,000.

The development followed a protracted scarcity which has strained business activities nationwide.

“A girl was asked, which party are you? APC, LP or PDP? She said: ‘I am hungry’. So, we Nigerians are hungry. You have to find a way of reducing this price of fuel,” Kukah said.

“Unless democracy is anchored on a sound foundation, we will be building on sand. I am concerned about the quality of democracy in Nigeria. We need to fix the problem with democracy in Nigeria.”

Dignitaries who attended the event include Abdullahi Ganduje; APC national chairman; George Akume; secretary to the government of the federation; and Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo and chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF).

Senate President Godswill Akpabio was represented by Barau Jibrin, his deputy.

Addressing members of the APC, Ganduje said the institute will ensure that the ideology of the party is entrenched.

He said TPI will also serve as the official policy think-tank of the party, providing a platform for Nigerians, academia and the media to share ideas.

Ganduje added that the institute will provide policy advice to the government elected on the platform of the party at both the national and state levels.