The Presidency has attempted to solve former president Goodluck Jonathan’s surprise that those who criticised his government for leaving the pump price of fuel at N87 did nothing when same was jacked up to N143 by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The immediate past president had in 2012, increased fuel price from N67 to N97 but reduced it to N87 in January 2015. Before then, Nigerians had spilled to the streets to protest the hike.
Speaking while receiving Tunde Adeniran, one of the aspirants to the PDP national chairmanship, Jonathan had said, “My government was severely criticised for increasing the pump price of petroleum from N67 to N97 at a time that global crude price was going for over 100 dollars.
“The pump price was later reduced to N87 when the price of crude oil dropped and they attacked us that it was supposed to be lower.
“Those who criticised my administration are not talking again now that the global crude oil is about 53 dollars per barrel and the pump price of petrol is N143”.
Reacting via a tweet on his handle, serving Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said the difference between 2012 and 2015 petrol increase is trust.
“When petrol went to N145 under PMB (President Muhammadu Buhari), Nigerians held their peace, unlike when they shut the country in 2012. The difference is trust. Simple,” Buhari’s spokesman wrote.