The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has dismissed the Federal Government’s newly announced 30-day petrol discount through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), describing the initiative as policy confusion reminiscent of the popular 1990s television sitcom Fuji House of Commotion.
Speaking during an interactive political assessment briefing with newsmen on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 4:30 PM in Abuja, Adebayo criticized the government’s approach to energy economics, labeling the temporary relief measure as an unstructured gesture lacking statutory backing or financial planning.
Addressing national correspondents, Adebayo argued that the temporary discount underscores a lack of cohesion within President Bola Tinubu’s economic management team.
”I saw the visual and heard the policy statement. I don’t know whether it is a policy or a gesture, and it immediately reminded me of a series on television in the 90s called Fuji House of Commotion,” Adebayo said. “What they are presenting is Tinubu’s house of commotion. It does not make any sense in any way.”
He added that the relief measure lacks legislative grounding and clear financial accounting.
”Number one, none of those people seated there represent the NNPC. Now, there is no account established in the Ministry of Finance that deals with the petroleum subsidy account. One month is not short-term, medium-term, or long-term; it is a flash in the moment. They did not refer to any law that authorises them to do what they are doing.”
Adebayo’s remarks follow the Federal Government’s unveiling of a 10-point intervention framework intended to cushion the impact of rising fuel costs, which includes a 30-day price ceiling discount implemented via NNPCL retail outlets.
The SDP standard-bearer isn’t alone in criticizing the initiative. Earlier on Thursday, spokespersons for opposition groups, including National Democratic Coalition (NDC) political analyst Chief Kenneth Dike, also questioned the timing and sustainability of the 30-day measure, demanding clear account balance disclosures regarding federal petroleum interventions.
Reiterating his campaign platform ahead of the 2027 general elections, Adebayo emphasized that temporary price controls cannot substitute for domestic refining capacity and structural reforms.
He maintained that an SDP-led administration would prioritize resuming domestic refining operations to stabilise fuel prices permanently at affordable levels rather than relying on short-term interventions.
The Presidency and spokespersons for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources have yet to respond to Adebayo’s comments, though government representatives previously described the 30-day discount as a immediate stabilisation measure designed to ease consumer hardship.
