The contentious debate and exchange of accusations and counter-accusations regarding fuel subsidy escalated yesterday as the Federal Government, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, entered a new phase of verbal conflict over the issue.
During his inauguration speech on May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu announced the discontinuation of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petroleum.
However, in separate statements released yesterday, the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku, criticized the government’s claim that the subsidy had been removed and condemned the administration for deceiving the public. Their position was based on leaked memos allegedly from the Office of the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, indicating that N5.4 trillion had been utilized for fuel subsidy.
In a prompt response, the Presidential spokesperson, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, reiterated that the government’s stance on fuel subsidy remained consistent with President Tinubu’s declaration on May 29, 2023, that the fuel subsidy regime was terminated. He refuted the rumored allocation of N5.4 trillion in 2024 for this purpose.
He emphasized the government’s dedication to alleviating the impact of the subsidy removal and reducing the financial burden on Nigerians by focusing on addressing critical factors such as food inflation, which is largely influenced by transportation costs.
Despite this clarification, the PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, argued that the revelation of a purported secret payment of N5.4 trillion for fuel subsidy in 2024 indicated the corrupt nature of the APC-led administration and exposed the insensitivity of President Tinubu government.
The party accused the APC-led Federal Government of compelling Nigerians to purchase fuel at prices exceeding N800 per liter in various regions of the country while allegedly channeling trillions of Naira as fuel subsidy into private bank accounts linked to corrupt APC officials.
The PDP highlighted the need for transparency regarding the source of the N5.4 trillion, the government entity responsible for the subsidy payment, the criteria for such payments, the subsidized fuel volume and cost, and the reasons behind continued high fuel prices despite reports of ongoing subsidy payments.
Hence, the PDP urged President Tinubu to clarify the situation, address the public directly, and initiate a public inquiry into the reported N5.4 trillion fuel subsidy during his tenure. The party also called for a review of the economic team to combat the alleged corruption within the administration.
The PDP emphasized the importance of recognizing and rectifying flawed economic policies to demonstrate leadership during challenging times and alleviate the suffering of Nigerian citizens. Atiku criticized the government for diverting public funds through covert fuel subsidy payments, urging transparency and accountability to attract foreign investments and restore public trust.
Atiku called for a thorough investigation by the National Assembly to uncover the truth behind the fuel subsidy issue and ensure oversight responsibilities were fulfilled. He underscored the consequences of ignoring corruption and urged swift action to address the situation.
However, the Presidency dismissed the leaked documents as unofficial and clarified that they were policy proposals under review. The government affirmed its commitment to ending unproductive subsidies, supporting vulnerable populations, and implementing strategies to reduce living costs, particularly related to food inflation and transportation expenses.
The government cautioned the media to exercise caution when sharing unofficial documents to ensure accurate dissemination of government policies and programs.
