By Crystal Nwakanma
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and member of the Board of Trustees(BOT), Chief Bode George, has urges President Bola Tinubu to reduce the price of petrol to N300 per litre between December and January as a way of celebrating Christmas and new year for Nigerians.
He said this on Wednesday during an interactive session with newsmen.
He said: “I have been thinking, as a Nigerian, what can we do because the anger and the hunger are almost equal on the streets of Nigeria.
“What I am suggesting is that Mr. President should sit down with his managers and give an order that from the middle of December to the end of January, the cost of petrol will be N300 per litre.
“The government can absorb the losses in the interest of the suffering people.
“If they (the government) want others to contribute, let us know how much that is going to cost and ask people to donate, to bear the cost.
He said the Nigerians at home and in the diaspora are passing through economic hardship and that doing so will put a smile on the faces of Nigerians and also pass a message that at least the President cares for those who elected him.
He suggested that in order to achieve this, the President can come up with the cost implication of the reduction and seek donation from well-meaning and philanthropic Nigerians.
“Doing this, you would be sending a message of happiness to every home during this Christmas and New Year. This is a challenge I have thrown to him and I know he can do it,” the PDP leader said.
” We can start with the First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu. The other day donated 1 billion Naira to the authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife. If she could donate N1bn to a university, she can also donate as her contribution to fuel price reduction.”
He said the reduction in fuel price would reduce the cost of food items and Nigerians would celebrate Christmas in a joyous mood and would be full of prayers for the President during the Yuletide period.
He urged the federal government to take drastic measures to reduce the high inflation rate, unemployment and poverty.
He said:” Our inflation rate is about 50 per cent now. If you have a nation with 50 something percent inflation, where is our growth?”