APC chieftain implores Nigerians to support Tinubu on fuel subsidy removal

Alhaji Garba Sani, Founding Chairman, APC United Kingdom Chapter, on Friday in Abuja, implored Nigerians to support the administration of President Bola Tinubu in spite of the challenges posed by the removal of fuel subsidy.

He gave the advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at an event organised by Ade Omole, Director of Diaspora Directorate of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

Tinubu on May 29, while delivering his inaugural speech, said the government could no longer sustain fuel subsidy.

Sani, who is also a member of the defunct APC PCC Diaspora Directorate, however, said that better days were ahead in spite of the current challenges, especially with the hike in transport fare.

“Tinubu's administration has a renewed agenda and a renew hope for Nigerians that will propel the country to higher heights.

“However, the talked about renewed hope is not just about Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shettima his Vice-President, or other government machineries to ensure its realisation.

“As Nigerians, we all have to put hands together and work towards the success of this country. Tinubu and the government alone cannot do it, we all have to contribute to move the country forward,’’ he said.

Sani, while speaking on the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, said Buhari as an individual did his best to address issues of corruption among other issues in the country.

He said Nigerians should appreciate Buhari for his contributions to the country's development in spite of the challenges he met on assumption of office.

NAN recalls that Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), had earlier explained that contrary to speculations, the immediate past government did not make provisions for petroleum subsidy in the 2023 budget.

“There was subsidy in 2022 but in 2023, not a single naira was provided for the purpose of financing the subsidy.

“And ultimately while we held back our fiscal obligations, we still have a net balance of over N2.8 trillion that the federation should have given back to the NNPC.

“For any company, when you have negative N2.8 trillion, there is no company in the whole of Africa that will lend to you, you cannot have receivables.

“The provision of subsidy is there, but absolutely there is no funding for it,” Kyari had said, pointing out that it was only on paper and did not exist.

This, he said, was the true situation of things, adding the the Federal Government could no longer bear the burden of fuel subsidy.

He said that if government continued to subsidise the cost of fuel, the NNPC would run into deficit and that would not be good for the country.