According to a report published online by the Vanguard paper, the Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, stated during an interview with Vanguard’s correspondent that it was not President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration that removed the fuel subsidy as claimed, but rather former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
During the conversation, Baba-Ahmed was told that one of Tinubu’s primary priorities currently is the removal of the gasoline subsidy, which many people felt should be removed. Baba-Ahmed was asked if he thought the subsidy reduction could have been handled better by first offering palliatives to mitigate the impact of the removal. While reacting, he stated that it was not Tinubu’s government that cancelled the fuel subsidy.
“Honestly, I don’t know how much better he could have handled it,” he remarked. In any case, Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not remove the subsidies. Muhammadu Buhari did by providing for it until June, when he knew the new administration would be in place, but the credit goes to Tinubu. Tinubu arrived only to discover that the subsidy had been deleted. As a result, he should not take credit for eliminating the subsidies. Yes, he would have abolished the subsidy if it had been in place, but Muhammadu Buhari removed it.”
During the conversation, Baba-Ahmed was also told that the issue of subsidy removal is ameliorating the effect of the removal by first providing for the accompanying suffering, pain, and rising prices of things. Baba-Ahmed agreed while reacting to this.
“In principle, I agree with you,” he said. If I were speaking on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, I would respond that the subsidy was not abolished by my administration. It is Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. If he had done so, he would have given credit where it due and blame where it belonged.”
Further, he stated that Bola Tinubu will only be held accountable for palliatives because everyone agreed that the subsidy had to go.
“But, do you simply remove the subsidy and cause a massive decline in our already desperate situation and circumstances, where the cost of living is now ten times higher?” he said.
Source: Vanguard paper
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