Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said that President Bola Tinubu should not be blamed for removing the subsidy on petroleum products.
Dogara explained that although Tinubu announced the removal of the subsidy, the decision was already set in motion before he took office. Speaking on Channels TV on Friday, Dogara clarified that there was no provision for fuel subsidy in the national budget that was approved by the National Assembly before Tinubu became president.
He stated that Nigerians are currently experiencing the effects of the subsidy removal, but emphasized that it was a necessary move for the country’s progress.
“When the president announced that 'subsidy is gone,' it didn’t mean he was the one who initiated it. The subsidy had already been excluded from the budget, so there was no provision for it. Anyone saying otherwise is just being unrealistic,” Dogara said.
He added that focusing on solutions, instead of just discussing the country’s problems, is essential for Nigeria’s development.
Dogara’s comments come months after President Tinubu, during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, announced that the government would no longer pay for fuel subsidies, as there was no budgetary allocation for it starting from June 2023.
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