Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over his comments on the recent hike in international passport fees.
The Federal Government had on Thursday announced new rates for passports: the 32-page booklet now costs ₦100,000, while the 64-page version goes for ₦200,000.
Reacting to the increment, Obi faulted the government, saying the new cost was “alarming” because it was higher than Nigeria’s ₦70,000 minimum wage. He argued that rather than easing hardship, government policies were further burdening citizens.
In a response shared on X, Olayinka questioned Obi’s position, asking whether the cost of passports had ever been lower than the minimum wage in Nigeria’s history.
“Was there any time in Nigeria that the cost of international passport was lower than minimum wage? Is international passport part of the cost of living anywhere in the world?” Olayinka wrote.
