Peter Obi Lied about Jonathan Fuel Subsidy Removal – Reno Omokiri
The presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, in reaction to the removal of fuel subsidy by the Tinubu-led administration, had stated that the government ought to have put measures in place to mitigate the adverse effect of such policy on the masses before going ahead to remove the fuel subsidy.
According to him, Jonathan’s administration provided the example of putting the SURE-P policy in place before the suspension of fuel subsidy.
In a swift reaction, Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, has faulted the claim by Peter Obi, calling it dishonest. He wrote:
“Peter Obi’s history of how President Jonathan attempted to remove subsidy is not accurate and may even be construed as dishonest. I was there. Right at the Villa. President Jonathan did NOT introduce “relieving policies like SURE-P and others” BEFORE removing subsidy. On January 1, 2012, the Jonathan government launched SURE-P simultaneously with the temporary removal of the fuel subsidy.
In the present situation, the Buhari administration secured a World Bank loan of $800 million to pay subsidy relief funds to 50 million Nigerians BEFORE removing fuel subsidy. The loan approval occurred on May 19, 2023. President Bola Tinubu may be a known drug lord, which precludes me from ever supporting him.
Still, he deserves commendation for continuing the policy of subsidy support payments to vulnerable Nigerians, which has now incorporated the NLC and TUC to help in its disbursement, as revealed in their communique two days ago.
So, there is no reason for Peter Obi to try to spin this using President Jonathan’s name. I am loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party, and I fully, totally, and unequivocally support Waziri Atiku Abubakar’s petition at the Presidential Election Petition Court. Nevertheless, I support fuel subsidy removal. It is the most patriotic thing to do right now, and nobody should try to politicise it and use it to divide the nation. If we continue wasting ₦7 trillion on fuel subsidy, we will never have enough for infrastructure, education and health, and we will perpetually be a beggar and debtor nation.”
