RismadarVoice Reporters
September 28, 2026
The Allied Peoples Movement has called for the resignation of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo over his comparison of petrol prices in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
The party made the demand in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, following remarks by Okpebholo during an event in Edo State on September 24.
Okpebholo had said that during a recent visit to London, he checked the price of petrol and found that it amounted to more than ₦3,000 per litre when converted to naira.
The governor used the comparison while defending the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and argued that Nigeria was performing relatively well despite prevailing economic challenges.
Reacting, the APM criticised the comparison, arguing that petrol prices in both countries could not reasonably be assessed without considering differences in wages, purchasing power and living conditions.
The party pointed to Nigeria’s ₦70,000 national minimum wage and argued that workers in the United Kingdom generally earn considerably more.
It maintained that converting the British pump price directly into naira did not, by itself, provide an adequate measure of the affordability of petrol for Nigerian households.
The APM also highlighted differences between the transportation systems of both countries.
According to the party, many Nigerians depend heavily on relatively costly informal transportation, while the United Kingdom has a more structured public transportation network.
The party further cited petrol prices in other oil-producing countries, including Libya and Iran, arguing that Nigeria’s status as an oil-producing nation should also be considered in discussions about domestic fuel costs.
Yusuf said the APM opposed petrol prices exceeding ₦1,500 per litre and argued that rising fuel costs were placing additional pressure on households and businesses.
The party also expressed concern that Okpebholo’s comments could be interpreted as preparing the public for another increase in petrol prices.
However, it provided no evidence that the Federal Government was planning such an increase.
The APM subsequently demanded the governor’s resignation, describing his comparison as insensitive to the economic difficulties confronting many Nigerians.
The party also used the statement to promote its political platform ahead of the 2027 presidential election, presenting its candidate, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, and his proposed Reset Agenda as its alternative to the policies of the APC-led Federal Government.
The disagreement has added to the continuing political debate surrounding petrol prices, wages, purchasing power and the wider effects of the Federal Government’s economic reforms ahead of the 2027 general election.
