Finally, Femi Adesina Reveals Why Buhari Didn’t Remove Fuel Subsidy, Gives Strong Explanation

• President Muhammadu Buhari will be leaving office soon and he cannot wait to fix all that's left undone
• But there's one major issue in the country that has not been fixed since he assumed office and his aide, Femi Adesina has given reasons
• The presidential spokesman noted that Buhari couldn't remove fuel subsidy because there are too many options and social consequences attached

Femi Adesina, special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, has explained why his principal didn’t remove fuel subsidy.

Speaking during a Channels Television interview on Wednesday, January 4th, Adesina said the government has to weigh its options before making any decision.

Fuel subsidy removal saga under Jonathan

In January 2012, former President Goodluck Jonathan faced stiff resistance when he attempted to end subsidy on petrol. Owing to the public outcry, he abandoned the idea.

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Buhari had in 2015 said there was no good reason to remove fuel subsidy. He had said the removal of fuel subsidy would add to the economic woes of Nigerians.

Adesina reveals real reason why Buhari cannot remove fuel subsidy

However, the federal government recently announced that it will stop the payment of fuel subsidy in June 2023.

The Cable reported that Adesina explained that the subsidy wasn’t removed due to “economic and social factors”.

“Each time there is an effort to fight the fraud in the subsidy regime, you have to contend with labour, you have to contend with the people. The government needed to weigh its options because of the social consequences in it,” Adesina said.

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“In the beginning, his (Buhari’s) position was: what was subsidy really? But over the years it became evident that the country was bleeding, the economy was bleeding, there was a lot of hemorrhage which needed to be stopped and the time came and that time is now.

“It’s a phase the country must pass through and has passed through and that phase is coming to an end.”

2023 presidency: Again, Tinubu reveals his true position on fuel subsidy

The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed his take on the fuel subsidy removal ahead of the 2023 presidential polls in February.

Tinubu in an interview with a Kaduna-based radio station Freedom Radio said his administration if elected into office will put an end to fuel subsidies.

In the excerpt released by his campaign media aide Bayo Onanuga and made available to Legit.ng on Monday, December 2, Tinubu said subsidy has been abused by the rich and in turn causing havoc and distress for the poor.

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Buhari assures Nigeria's unfettered support for Burundi on fuel shortage amid prolonged scarcity in Nigeria

Real reason fuel scarcity resurfaced in Lagos, other cities as NUPENG protests police extortion, others

Meanwhile, Fuel queues resurfaced in Lagos and other cities in Nigeria, this time with intensity.

The queues, which began to form on Monday, November 21, 2022, took many by surprise after coming out of one penultimate week.

As of Tuesday, November 22, most filling stations reported that they had run out of petrol, sending motorists into a frenzy and panic-buying.

Source: Legit.ng