ATIKU: FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL TAKING A TOLL ON NIGERIANS – OLOGBONDIYAN
Read Time:2 Minute, 4 Second
By:Tajudeen Aminat
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Monday said the removal of fuel subsidy was putting increasing pressure on Nigerians.
Ologbondiyan warned the administration of President Bola Tinubu that the impact of the policy could have serious consequences for both Nigerians and the government.
He made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, while defending the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his recent position on fuel subsidy removal.
Atiku and Tinubu have continued to disagree over the policy, which the President announced during his inauguration at Eagle Square in May 2023.
Ologbondiyan stressed that Atiku was not advocating a return to the former subsidy regime but was calling for a review of the policy to reduce production and distribution costs and make petroleum products more affordable.
He said, “Nobody is returning Nigeria to the old system. Nobody is contemplating that, not the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
“I have always told the Tinubu administration to review the subsidy regime. I did declare that the removal of the subsidy would hurt Nigerians and the Tinubu administration more.
“So, what is Atiku talking about? Atiku is saying that if you look at the cost of production, from production to the end user, there must be areas that are reviewable in the hope of reducing the cost of production, in a manner that will enable end users to buy their products at a lower price, compared with the strangulating situation Nigerians are currently passing through.”
The ADC chieftain said the debate should focus on addressing the economic hardship caused by the policy rather than political arguments.
He questioned whether the government had fulfilled the promises and expectations that accompanied the subsidy removal, noting that the policy had significantly increased the cost of living.
Ologbondiyan argued that Atiku’s proposal was different from calls to return to the old subsidy system and suggested that critics had not fully examined the former vice president’s position.
He noted that petrol, which sold for about N200 or less before May 29, 2023, now costs around N1,300, describing the increase as a major burden on Nigerians.
He also criticised the Tinubu administration for questioning Atiku’s current position, recalling that the President’s camp had previously campaigned on subsidy reforms.
Ologbondiyan said the government should focus on finding ways to reduce the cost of petroleum products rather than dismissing calls for a review of the policy.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0