Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, has come out to unapologetically defend the recent increase in petrol pump price by the Federal Government.
There have however, been several reactions from all and sundry condemning the pump price increase amidst the hardship of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Shehu in a bid to shift blames and mock the opposition party PDP released a statement via his Twitter handle saying: “Don’t allow the PDP to deceive you, amidst acute shortages, they sold petrol at N600 per litre on Easter Sunday in 2013 (See Punch published on that day)”.
Don't allow the PDP to deceive you. Amidst acute shortages, they sold petrol at N600 per litre on Easter Sunday in 2013 (See Punch published on that day). pic.twitter.com/W58V2ZwVy6
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) September 8, 2020
His tweet however received several responses from Twitter users who reminded him that petrol had also being sold at N600 during Buhari’s regime.
Tunde Olugbenga tweeted saying “Are you aware that fuel also sold for N600 in December 2017 and recently in November 2019. Both under APC and Buhari. But in your attempt to justify the hardship and suffering of Nigerians, you only make reference to 2013 of PDP.
Dear Garba Shehu,
— iCON Tosin Olugbenga (@TosinOlugbenga) September 9, 2020
Are you aware that fuel also sold for ₦600 in December 2017 and recently in November 2019.
Both under #APC & Buhari.
But in your attempt to justify the hardship and suffering of Nigerians you only make reference to 2013 of PDP
pic.twitter.com/jBNdkmS2l9
In the same vein, another tweeter user “Premier” said “Garba Shehu claimed Nigerians bought fuel under PDP N600. The screenshots here show that fuel was bought N600 under Buhari/APC. I doubt if Garba and Femi do give fair report of happenings in the country to Buhari. These people are not ready to own up to their failures”.
Garba Shehu claimed Nigerians bought fuel under PDP N600.
— Premier (@SodiqTade) September 9, 2020
The screenshots here show that fuel was bought N600 under Buhari/APC. I doubt if Garba and Femi do give fair report of the happenings in the Country to Buhari.
These people are not ready to own up to their failures. pic.twitter.com/lJFBkIsAWl
Another user had described Shehu as “unintelligently deceitful”
Garba Shehu, you're not smart.
— GENOCIDE In Southern Kaduna (@The_Jonathanian) September 8, 2020
You're unintelligently deceitful.
Why are you showing us that petrol sold for ₦600 in 2013?
You need to be treated for selective amnesia because fuel also sold for ₦600 in December 2017 and recently in November 2019.
Both under #APC & Buhari. pic.twitter.com/YLQqO0mOxR
You would recall that the Federal Government had recently through the Petroleum Products Marketing Company increased the ex-depot price of petrol from N138.62 to N151.56 per litre.
This increment has jacked up the pump price of the product to from N148/litre to between N158 and N162 per litre.
