Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has defended the prevailing petrol price in Nigeria, saying motorists in the United Kingdom pay the equivalent of more than N3,000 for a litre.
Okpebholo made the comparison on Thursday at the “Operation Rescue Benin-Asaba Road” event in Edo State, reports Daily Trust.
The governor said he travelled to London the previous week and visited a filling station with a friend to compare petrol prices in the UK with what Nigerians pay.
According to him, the price, after conversion to naira, was “about N3,000-something” per litre.
> “When we complained about cost of petrol, I was in London last week. I told my friend, ‘Let’s go and buy fuel just to know the cost of fuel between Nigeria and England.’
“Let me tell you, after conversion, it’s about N3,000-something for one litre of fuel.”
Okpebholo argued that the comparison showed Nigerians were paying less for petrol than motorists in the UK.
“We are doing very well here. The President is stabilising the economy. He’s an economist,” he said.
The governor’s remarks came amid continued concerns over the cost of petrol and other essential commodities following the removal of the petrol subsidy and subsequent changes in pump prices.
He defended the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing them as difficult but necessary measures whose benefits would become clearer as the economy improves.
Using an aircraft taking off as an analogy, Okpebholo said Nigerians would have to endure the difficult phase of the reforms before the country reached what he described as a “cruising level.”
“I want to let you know, very soon Nigeria will be on the cruising level. Nigeria will be on a cruising level,” he said.
Okpebholo also cited ongoing road projects as evidence of development under the Tinubu administration, particularly the Federal Government’s intervention on the deteriorated Benin-Asaba Road linking Edo and Delta states.
The governor further backed Tinubu’s continued presidency ahead of the 2027 election, questioning those seeking to challenge him.
“Is Aso Rock vacant? Is Aso Rock vacant? So Aso Rock is not vacant,” Okpebholo said.
He also said he agreed with a position attributed to the Oba of Benin that “you don’t change a working President.”
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