Peter Obi, the Labour Partys candidate, in the February 25 2023 election has called on the Federal Government to provide Nigerians with details regarding the utilization of funds obtained through the removal of petrol subsidy.
During a Twitter session titled 'Peter Obi Live on Parallel Facts on Saturday evening July 29th Obi expressed concerns about subsidy removal as a decision that should have been thoroughly considered before implementation.
While the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration justified the removal of petrol subsidy as a measure to combat corruption and save government expenses Obi remained skeptical. He argued that even the appropriation of gains resulting from this removal seemed tainted by corruption.
According to him "Nigerians deserve transparency regarding how much money has been saved from subsidy. The current state of petrol subsidy, in Nigeria resembles an operation.""You can't expect people to make sacrifices when they see you living like a rock star buying brand jeeps from all, over the world."
Obi while discussing his approach to subsidy removal with Nigerians stated, "It should be implemented in stages to ensure that the government understands the subsidy portion it is addressing."
He emphasized that there is still corruption, in the oil industry and that it is essential for the Federal government to have an understanding of each aspect of oil subsidy it is dealing with.
"For instance when you eliminate all these elements the amount you would end up paying could potentially be low, as 40 percent or even less. It is crucial to have an understanding of the components being removed in order to take holistic action.
We recently heard a governor (Isah Yuguda) stating that he has become weary of profiting from practices related to fuel subsidies and believes he has amassed sufficient wealth. I can't recall encountering someone who openly admitted they had accumulated money.
The fact that an individual can claim to have earned funds through subsidy payments sheds light on the pervasive corruption we are grappling with " expressed Obi.
Obi also expressed concerns regarding the deteriorating condition of our national refineries and highlighted the insufficient supply of crude oil to modular refineries.
Regarding the hardships Nigerians are currently facing due to the removal of fuel subsidies he emphasized, "There are actions we need to take in order to effectively manage this situation and alleviate the burden it places on our citizens. Engaging in discussions with stakeholders is essential, for implementing improvements. "Obi compared the difficulty of removing subsidies to the challenges he encountered as a governor, in Anambra State when he restored schools to their owners. He acknowledged that this decision was not an one. It was a carefully thought out choice.
"People protested for months due, to that decision. We ensured that we carefully followed the process to address the issues. We implemented measures, such as ensuring teachers salaries were paid and carrying out infrastructure projects. However the original owners were expected to handle the administration and management of the schools
During my tenure as Governor, our schools in Anambra surpassed those in states because we thoroughly considered every aspect. I encourage you to visit those schools, in Anambra today and witness it yourself " he stated.
The ICIR previously reported on how Nigerians faced challenges resulting from the governments decision regarding PMS subsidy removal and unification of foreign exchange rates.
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