by Nigerian News24 Correspondents
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against introducing the proposed 5% fuel tax, warning that it could negatively impact his second-term prospects.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Ayodele said the policy risked being misinterpreted and could trigger backlash similar to the controversy that trailed the removal of fuel subsidy.
“Tinubu should reconsider the five percent fuel tax carefully. It will be misinterpreted and count as a minus for his second-term ambition,” he said.
The cleric further warned that opposition parties may seize the opportunity to use the tax against the president during campaigns, while some governors could also reject the plan, describing its benefits as “one-sided.”
“They will use it to campaign against him. The policy will be one-sided in the long run and some governors will kick against it,” he added.
Ayodele also advised the president to reduce the burden of taxation on Nigerians, stressing that the country’s current economic situation cannot withstand more levies.
“Tinubu needs to review taxation policies—it’s becoming too much. He should not allow it to take the shape of the subsidy removal days,” he cautioned.