Former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has declared war on agitators in support of continuing fuel subsidy following Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s announcement about its removal. In a tweet on Monday, the senator stated that shutting down petrol stations that quickly after the announcement of subsidy removal was a case of blackmail by the subsidy cartel. “It’s time to neutralize the subsidy parasites,” he declared.
During his inaugural address, the 16th President of Nigeria stated that his administration will remove the subsidy on petroleum products. President Buhari announced the removal of the fuel subsidy in June, which was supposed to take effect from June 1, before the Federal Executive Council postponed it on April 27. The government had spent billions of naira on fuel subsidy, making it unsustainable.
Subsidy has been an issue of national discussion for many years in Nigeria, and many citizens have questioned its impact. Tinubu stated that there was no provision for subsidy in the national budget as of June 2023, and so it stands removed. Senator Shehu had previously expressed support for the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria.
In summary, the subsidy cartel’s blackmail efforts must be neutralized now that the subsidy has been removed entirely. This report reaffirms that fuel subsidy has been a national issue for many years, and the impact of its removal on citizens is questionable.
