CurrentReport Blog Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, addressed President Bola Tinubu’s announcement regarding the removal of fuel subsidies, asserting that the subsidy had not actually been removed as there was no budget provision for it.
Speaking on Channels TV, Dogara emphasized that the announcement made by President Tinubu was misleading, as the budget did not include any allocation for fuel subsidies. “In this case, there was no provision for it, and anybody who told you Tinubu suspended it was just joking because how did he suspend payment that was not budgeted for in the first instance?” he stated.
He reiterated that there had been no amendments to the budget to accommodate fuel subsidy payments, thus challenging the legitimacy of the president’s declaration. “The truth is that he (Tinubu) was not the one who removed the subsidy. But he did make that pronouncement,” Dogara said.
Highlighting the constitutional backing of budgetary provisions, Dogara noted, “There was no provision for it in the budget, and you know the budget is backed by the Constitution. If there’s no provision for it in the budget, then how do you pay for it?”
Despite the controversy surrounding the announcement, Dogara maintained that the removal of fuel subsidies could ultimately be beneficial for Nigeria, even though it may have immediate adverse effects on the populace. His comments come at a time when many Nigerians are grappling with the economic implications of subsidy removals and rising fuel prices.
