Political leaders from opposing parties have united in condemning President Bola Tinubu’s fuel subsidy removal policy, warning that the controversial economic measure has plunged millions of Nigerians into extreme poverty rather than delivering promised reforms. Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Niger State, and Kenneth Okonkwo of the African Democratic Congress have both called for a fundamental rethink of the policy, citing devastating impacts on ordinary citizens.
Vatsa, a former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, urged President Tinubu to focus on the substance of criticism rather than political affiliations, stating that Nigerians have been shortced and reduced to nothing by the policy. He argued that while the policy has benefited the 36 state governors, their families, and political appointees with access to public funds, it has failed to improve the lives of common masses on the street.
Okonkwo went further, declaring that Tinubu was ill-advised on the subsidy removal, noting that Nigeria should not have subsis in the first place given its oil resources and production capacity. Speaking on a political television program, he highlighted that fuel prices around N1,300 per litre mean a 100-litre tank costs N130,000, nearly twice the minimum wage, leaving workers unable to afford rent, food, or medical care.
The criticisms come as the International Monetary Fund reports that more than 35 million Nigerians are struggling to feed themselves. Critics allege that despite increased allocations to states, governors continue accumulating loans while luxury spending rises and infrastructure projects remain abandoned across the country, with roads, schools, and hospitals left incomplete while private jets and luxury cars proliferate among the political elite.
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