The protesters noted that they decided to hit the street to show solidarity with the President, Bola Tinubu, over the removal of fuel subsidy.
According to the protesters, the president made the right decision by removing the ‘canker worm’ that has eaten deep into the economy.
The President had during his inaugural speech on May 29, declared that there would no longer be a petroleum subsidy regime as the current 2023 budget he glimpsed does not contain it.
On Tuesday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited and other oil marketers raised the price of petrol from about N537/litre to between N617 and N630/litre.
This development has so far raised concerns across the country.
In response to the fuel hike, the convener of Stand Up Nigeria, Sunday Attah, stated that the Tinubu-led administration has done the right thing and should be supported to deliver on the dividends of democracy.
He said, “The announcement on the 29th May 2023, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the subsidy on fuel has been removed has come with mixed feelings.
“While some have hailed it as apt and timely others have expressed reservation that it may cause further hardship on the citizenry.
“You will recall that the President anchored the policy on the fact that there was no provision for subsidy payment in the 2023 budget hence cannot be sustained.”
Attah added, “Apart from that, the country was bleeding seriously through many leakages occasioned by corruption in high places chiefly among which are the claims on subsidy payments to many firms.
“After observing the initial reaction to the measure and the attendant panic buying and other impacts on the socio-economic life of Nigerians, we wish to state that the President has done the right thing by removing the subsidy as the advantages of doing so outweigh the disadvantages.
“We have observed that the initial hiccups of long queues at the fuel stations have disappeared while access to petroleum products has become easier and guaranteed as people can now drive into filling stations and refill their tanks without wasting unnecessary man hours on queues.”
Justifying the subsidy removal, Attah noted that the problem of fuel scarcity and the attendant hardship on citizens has been solved and people can now use their time for other productive engagements.
The Pro-Tinubu protest convener added, “The opposition and those elements opposed to the measure should know that election is over and all hands must be on deck to support the government to do what is right and in the interest of the people of the country.
“Past administrations have attempted to remove fuel subsidies but have not been successful due to opposition on the wrong belief that the implication of subsidy removal is just the increase in the price of fuel.
“There was also the suspicion that the proceeds made from the removal will be embezzled and the gains will not get to the intended beneficiaries.”
Attah added, “But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown that he has the integrity to use the funds for the development of the country and has announced a number of palliatives to cushion the effects of the increase in the price of fuel.
“We believe other measures would follow that will make Nigerians willing to see the increase in the price of petroleum products as a necessary sacrifice for growing the economy.”
“By the time the monies freed from subsidy removal are appropriated and plowed back into the economy and all sectors begin to witness quantum growth, Nigerians would begin to see the positive effects of subsidy removal,” he said.
