Fuel Subsidy: Peter Obi explains what he would have done differently

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party has again aired his view about fuel subsidy, saying it’s an organised crime Nigeria must put an end to.

Obi in a series of tweets on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, said he is an advocate of fuel subsidy withdrawal but he would not have approached it the way President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did.

Recall that on Monday, May 29, 2023, President Tinubu in his maiden presidential speech declared his government’s position on the issue saying ‘subsidy is gone.’

The statement led to fuel price hikes within 24 hours as queues appeared at fuel stations across the country. In cities like Lagos, petrol prices increased from ₦185 to over ₦600 per litre.

Explaining how he would have tackled the issue, Obi said before he stops fuel subsidy payments, he would have put relief policies in place to cushion the effect on the people.

He said, “If you read my manifesto you will see clearly how I planned to remove subsidies. I will govern with the people and show them statistically and empirically what we are going to save, and what we are going to do using the savings to better the suffering masses.

“The problem in Nigeria is that often government tell the masses to suffer and sacrifice, for a better future; but in future things gets worse”.

To further encourage the people to buy into the subsidy removal policy, the former governor of Anambra state further said he would show the people statistically and empirically how much the country would save with fuel subsidy withdrawal and how the government would use the savings to better the sufferings of the masses.

He said even though he supports fuel subsidy removal, he would not remove it forcefully.