₦airaland Forum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Nn9BkrhWo

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a 15 per cent import duty on refined petroleum products, describing it as an “anti-people decision.”

Adebayo, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, accused President Tinubu of excessive taxation, saying the administration’s approach was exploitative.

“President Tinubu is a clever tax collector. He wants to collect taxes from you for everything, including the oxygen tax, very soon.

“If you’re not careful, yes, the air we breathe. Just give him time; he’s going to get there,” he said.

The SDP candidate described the import duty as unjust and inconsistent with the ideals Tinubu once championed.

“It is an anti-people decision and a trend in the new Tinubu. Tinubu that used to be in SDP, following Abiola everywhere doing Hope 93, has practically changed to the side of the money people.

“They see you as a customer, not a citizen. If you have twins and triplets in your house, Tinubu is going to think of twins tax or ‘multiple childbirth tax.’ He’s just thinking of how to collect more money. It’s wrong,” he said.

The politician stated that the new tariff would further burden Nigerians, who are already facing harsh economic conditions.

He said, “If you put 15 per cent tariffs on imported petrol, who is going to pay for it? It’s going to be paid by the person who buys the petrol at the filling station.”

‘Fix Refineries First’
Adebayo faulted the decision, blaming the government for its failure to make Nigeria’s refineries functional.

“You are the reason why we cannot meet our domestic consumption. The president is the Minister of Petroleum. What kind of chaotic system is this?” he asked.

He argued that the president should focus on fixing refineries rather than imposing more taxes.

“For example, we gave you refineries to manage. You appointed yourself Minister of Petroleum. We spent billions on turnaround maintenance. You are not making the refineries work.

“You are the reason why we are importing now. Because you are importing, you went from ‘I’m not paying subsidy, we are net zero, nobody pays subsidy’, you now want to surcharge me for your inefficiency. Am I the reason why refineries are not working?” he queried.

Urging the president to prioritise local refining, Adebayo said, “What he needs to do is to call Heineken Lokpobiri and Bayo Ojulari and say, ‘I want those refineries to work. I give you six months, and I want fuel importation reduced to zero.’”

15% Import Duty
President Bola Tinubu had earlier approved a 15 per cent ad-valorem import duty on petrol and diesel imports into Nigeria.

The directive was said to be addressed to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The letter followed a proposal from FIRS Chairman Zacch Adedeji seeking the tariff’s implementation as part of a “market-responsive import framework.”

According to the government, the policy aims to protect local refineries and stabilise the downstream market. However, experts warn it could push up pump prices.

Nigeria currently imports about 67 per cent of its petrol needs despite the gradual commencement of operations at the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote.

https://www.channelstv.com/2025/10/30/give-tinubu-time-hell-tax-the-air-we-breathe-says-sdps-adebayo/

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God will make everything new

Atleast he is better than Putin

Putin sees Russian men as Meat
He send them to meat grinder in Ukraine

Imagine if Tinubu force you to go to south Sudan and die for nothing

I knew it was only a matter of time. Tribalism can only sustain you so far, in no time, you'd join your perceived enemies to decry the hardship. You can only lie to yourself for so long

COMRADES confirmed, but, unfortunately his online jobless defenders will never agree
Even you Adebayo once supported Tinubu's irrational policies until now that you realise your mistakes before you started making a U turn

Tinubu is a USELESS president Walahi.

Nothing to Add plz.

Living things tax, e go reach everybody ai 🤷🏿

Even customer is more respected than how he treats the citizens. So he sees them more like his maga that he must extort until their last drop.

Have always said it, Nigeria is a business place. If you don’t have the money to run the business and pay your taxes, you are on your own

Renew hope on top Living wage. Scam scammer scammer. Shame on them all

ChizzyBuna:
Atleast he is better than Putin

Putin sees Russian men as Meat
He send them to meat grinder in Ukraine

When you taste power
You will begin to see ordinary humans as tools

:
Killing is killing whether through war or through starvation and inflation.

We Nigerians are not complaining about the Tinubu taxes. So this man should get out.


Tax makes every nation great

He go suffer am later.. Things keeps rising and no job

For how long will this continue. Nigerians love it when they are being oppressed.

Suspect33:
I knew it was only a matter of time. Tribalism can only sustain you so far, in no time, you'd join your perceived enemies to decry the hardship. You can only lie to yourself for so long

Imagine it was say OUK criticizing Obi.

Agbadorians would have been drooling about how igbos don't support their own.

I guess Sowore and this Adebayo are Efik.

They want Nigeria to be like America but they don't want to pay taxes. They all rush to Canada where everything is taxed but they don't want tax in Nigeria. How will local refineries like Dangote break even if cheaper fuel is imported from other countries? If you can't afford imported fuel that carries 15% tax, then buy locally refined fuel. Shikena!

You can't defend Nigerians, just let them be.

We are probably never learning anything from history.

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I am highly disappointed at Tinubu. When he took over from Buhari, I thought he was coming in to finish what Buhari started. 50-80% would have been appropriate. I am compiling data to see what it takes to break the Nigerian spirit and have the people say "enough is enough". Na person wey still find food chop dey remember his ethnicity or religion. Tinubu is not wicked enough.

/

Watianoengineer:
We Nigerians are not complaining about the Tinubu taxes. So this man should get out.


Tax makes every nation great

Same way natural resources like oil, agriculture and minerals make nations great.

Nigeria has had those in abundance for close to a century... Where is the greatness?!!

Tinubu is a bullion vans D-lórd

I don't know for you guys

But I am always breathing in and out APC air

Such a sweet feeling knowing that with APC fresh air, I am above such tax

On this manhood mandate I will continue to stand till 2099

If you don't like it, go and die

politicoNG:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Nn9BkrhWo

https://www.channelstv.com/2025/10/30/give-tinubu-time-hell-tax-the-air-we-breathe-says-sdps-adebayo/

Don't allow this two faced guy deceive you. He's a staunch agbado supporter who speaks from the two polarities of his mouth.

So Seun has taken this community back to 40 characters?

ChizzyBuna:
Atleast he is better than Putin

Putin sees Russian men as Meat
He send them to meat grinder in Ukraine

Imagine if Tinubu force you to go to south Sudan and die for nothing

Bcis you never see war for your lifetime. If e happen, the govt will send you to die like a fowl also if need be..

The worst thing About this, is that some people will still line up to vote for the same man. I pity this country

Tinubu is not a leader, is just like the mc oluomo and the other stree urchins the 'owo mi da' guys he is just about reaping where he did not sow, using brute force,no human feelings

Sannisege:
They want Nigeria to be like America but they don't want to pay taxes. They all rush to Canada where everything is taxed but they don't want tax in Nigeria. How will local refineries like Dangote break even if cheaper fuel is imported from other countries? If you can't afford imported fuel that carries 15% tax, then buy locally refined fuel. Shikena!

You conveniently forgot to mention the government owned refineries that were purportedly fixed after billions of naira were spent on them. Why do Nigerians have to pay the price for a one man's private enterprise to breakeven? Do Canadian and American politicians you mentioned, loot and mismanage their country's commonwealth like Nigerian politicians? You expect your politicians that have failed to utilize and manage the humongous revenues from Nigeria's oil wealth to manage the revenues realized through taxation and the people's misery?

No country has ever taxed its way to prosperity.

Tax is not an issue but the implementation is what we needed biko 😡

Even in developed countries US UK Canada Germany Australia etc will tax the air you breath but you will see what are being tax for ..


Paying ain't an issue but the usefulness 🙏

Dogalmighty17:
No country has ever taxed its way to prosperity.

America US UK Germany etc are they not paying tax?m