A former National Vice Chairman, North-West of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Salihu Lukman has described petroleum pricing since the commencement of production of Dangote Refinery and the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, as manipulative.

Lukman, in a statement issued Tuesday titled, “Nigerian Democracy in ICU”, said the pricing was more about manipulative control and imposition of a parasitic monopoly, which the NNPC represents.

Lukman noted that part of the disturbing reality was how citizens are being pushed to swallow bitter pills of higher prices of petroleum products in a manner that simply devalues local production.

According to him, ”the econometrics of petroleum pricing since the commencement of production of Dangote Refinery is more about manipulative control and imposition of a parasitic monopoly, which the NNPC represents.

“Unfortunately, for whatever reasons, that appears to be the preference of the government. As it is, the issue of the welfare of citizens is not the priority of President Asiwaju Tinubu.

“It is almost as if President Tinubu doesn’t give a damn about whether Nigerians are dying on account of the government’s heartless and mindless policies.

“Rather than push public policy in a direction that relieved the economic burden of harsh living conditions, the federal government is more bent on imposing more stringent measures that drain and devalues the resources of citizens.”