The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu, saying his decision to remove the petroleum subsidy was not an attempt to play the masses.
The APC chairman made the appeal when Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Major General Abdulmalik Jibrin (retd) led a delegation of directors and secretaries of the dissolved APC presidential campaign Council on a solidarity visit to the national secretariat in Abuja.
He said, “President Bola Tinubu was honest to Nigerians. He did not play a game with the removal of the subsidy. He was very honest, even in his efforts to provide a solution to the effect of the subsidy removal.
“It came to the point that everybody was suffering. The removal of subsidies, no doubt, is a welcome development. And you know, he didn’t want to deceive people even during the electioneering process. Before he was voted in, he said he would remove it. So he was honest. And now it has been removed. But of course, there are some pains.
“There is no doubt, if you study the history of developed nations, that they went through similar processes – one obstacle to another – and the people will have to suffer. But we are so happy that the President invited all the governors, irrespective of political leaning, and told them his agenda. His agenda is for immediate relief of the suffering, the medium measure, and the long-term measures.”
The development is coming on the heel of reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited had secured an emergency loan of $3bn to strengthen the naira
Among other things, the loan is expected to provide some immediate disbursement to assist the Federal Government in its ongoing fiscal and monetary policy reforms targeted at foreign exchange market stabilisation.
Recall that Tinubu’s controversial pronouncement of ‘Subsidy is gone’ during his inauguration speech had triggered panic buying among motorists while long queues resurfaced at fuel stations across Lagos, Abuja, Ilorin, Benin, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Kano, Makurdi and other major cities and urban areas.
To worsen the situation, many outlets shut their facilities and refused to dispense fuel, further creating scarcity and panic buying at the fuel stations that were opened to customers.
Following the new pump price regime of over 300 per cent introduced by Mele Kyari-led NNPC Limited and the president’s promise of palliatives, Nigerians have been forced to adjust to the new lifestyle.
But the APC national chairman insisted that the president has been honest with Nigerians from the outset.
He said, “We are happy that most governments in the federation have taken the cue. They designed their state palliatives, and the federal government is also providing palliatives. But if you look at it, the short-term measure alone is not sustainable. It is the long-term measure that is important.”
“In a few months to come, the Federal Government will distribute vehicles that are using gas and electricity. You know we have an abundance of gas that will make transportation very cheap in the long run.”
“The Federal Government is developing the railway system in urban areas. In Abuja here and across the country, the railway that started from Lagos Ibadan to Kaduna to Kano to Katsina to Jibia and up to Maradi in Niger Republic, it is the same thing with the southern part of the country, in the northeastern part of the country, and even the South-South.
“There’s a blueprint for the development of the railway system, which will make transportation much easier. So for you to campaign and for people to understand the efforts of the Federal Government and other state governments to cushion the hardship of removal of subsidy is an effort that has to be commended.”
While appreciating Ganduje for his soothing reassurance, Jibril pledged that their teeming members and those who worked for the victory of the president will continue to support the ruling party under the new leadership.
