Subsidy removal: Buhari, APC get new names from Fayose
- Fayose continues to express anger over removal of fuel subsidy
- Wants organised labour to protest against policy
- Federal lawmaker pleads for patience
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, southwestern Nigeria on Thursday called President Muhammadu Buhari a hypocrite.
He also described the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as an advanced fee fraud practitioner for deceiving the country’s citizens till it removed subsidy from premium motor spirit, also known as petrol.
Fayose, like many other Nigerians has remained angry since the Wednesday announcement by Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the country’s minister of state for petroleum.
The governor, seen as a major critic of the president, released a second statement stating that Buhari and his APC had defrauded Nigerians by increasing the price of petrol from N86.50 to N145 per litre.
Urging Nigerians to resist the new policy, the governor added: “Those who opposed removal of fuel subsidy in 2012 and funded the Occupy Nigeria protest must not be allowed to get away with this imposition of hardship on Nigerians now that they are in power.”
The governor urged labour unions, civil society organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to stand up and be counted at this crucial time in the life of the common people of Nigeria.
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“There is no justification for the increment at this period when government is not paying salaries regularly, Nigerians are losing their jobs daily, prices of foodstuffs have gone over the roof and life has become so difficult for the common people,” Fayose added.
Speaking through an aide, Lere Olayinka, the governor said: “In 2012 when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government of Dr Goodluck Jonathan removed fuel subsidy and increased petrol price to N141 per litre, crude oil was selling at $111 per barrel. How then can petrol price be increased to N145 per litre when crude oil is now selling at $40 per barrel?
“It is on record that on May 2 this year, the federal government, through the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) template released in Abuja, told Nigerians that it was subsidising petrol at N12.62 per litre.
“If as at May 2, petrol was being subsidised at N12.62 per litre, now that the subsidy of N12.62 has been removed, what ought to have been added to the N86.50 pump price should be N12.62, which would have increased pump price to N99.12 per litre.
“Increasing petrol pump price by N58.50 when the federal government claimed it was subsidising the product at N12.62 per litre is clear political 419, which is aimed at further impoverishing Nigerians as the government will be making profit of N45.88 on each litre of petrol bought by Nigerians.
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“How can any government with human feelings attempt to make profit of N45.88 per litre on Nigerians, who are no longer getting their salaries regularly? How can Buhari and his party impose another N45.88 per litre levy on Nigerians who are already facing severe hardship?
“Nigerians should be reminded that the president once said that petrol subsidy never existed and that it was a fraud. How then can the same President Buhari tell us that he has removed the same subsidy he claimed never existed?
“The reality is that these people lied to Nigerians too much. They made promises they knew they won’t fulfill just to get to power. Now they are showing Nigerians their true colours. They are showing Nigerians that they have come to punish them with hardship.
“Buhari and his APC promised to reduce petrol pump price to from N87 to N45 per litre; petrol is now N145. They promised to create three million jobs per year; they have instead created millions of unemployment.
“They said $1 will be equal to N1; $1 is now N320. They promised to create better life for Nigerians, they have instead created hardship by making prices of basic commodities to skyrocket through their lack of policy direction."
A member of the House of Representatives, Olajide Jimoh, however, disagreed with Fayose, telling journalists on Thursday that the new policy is the best solution to constant fuel scarcity in the country.
Jide who represents Mainland federal constituency, stressed that the increment in price of fuel is aimed at bringing lasting enjoyment to the people and that as a result, the current hardship should be seen as temporary.
"I believe Nigerians will smile and there shall be light at the end of the tunnel but Nigerians must understand the situation that President Buhari means good for the country.
"I just have to appeal to the people on this issue of increment on petroleum price and also to say that it is rather unfortunate and I believe if that is going to bring the way forward, we should just be patient.
"What is of necessity now is for all of us to rationalise and be creative and at the end of the day allow wisdom to prevail in this circumstance.
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"There are so many areas that could be addressed such as the issue of transportation, the federal government should ensure provision of luxurious buses and rail lines.
"Meanwhile, Nigerians should not expect things to happen in a day and I will urge them not to compare Goodluck Jonathan administration to this present one,” he said.
Legit.ng had earlier reported that the announced removal of subsidy on the premium motor spirit on Wednesday, may end up becoming a re-enactment of the January 2012 #occupyNigeria, as some agitated citizens have commenced a new campaign to have it repeated against the government of President Buhari.
With the removal of subsidy on the product, the government fixed N145 as the maximum amount to be charged per litre on petrol and while some Nigerians are mobilising on social media for mass protest, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) thinks the fuel price hike was a coup against organised labour.
Source: Legit.ng
