Tinubu was just joking when he announced an end to fuel subsidy – Dogara clarifies

Former House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has shed light on President Bola Tinubu’s pronouncement on fuel subsidy removal, stating that it was merely a joke.

He made the clarification while speaking on Channels TV on Friday.

According to Dogara, Tinubu wasn’t the one who removed the subsidy, as there was no provision for it in the budget approved by the National Assembly before his election.

Dogara clarified that Tinubu’s declaration that “subsidy is gone” was not backed by any policy action.

“In this case, there was no provision for it, and anybody who told you he (Tinubu) suspended it was just joking because how did he suspend payment that was not budgeted for in the first instance?

“There was no provision for subsidy in that budget and I am not aware of any amendment that took place to accommodate the payment of subsidy. The truth is that he (Tinubu) was not the one who removed the subsidy. But he did make that pronouncement,” Dogara said.

The former speaker explained that although Nigerians are feeling the effects of subsidy removal, it was the right move for the country’s progress. He stressed that real change requires sacrifices and that Nigerians must move beyond discussing problems to finding solutions.

He added, “In addressing this, we must accept whether we like it or not unless we are being disingenuous. Whether the President said the subsidy was gone or he was removing the subsidy, we all know that subsidy had been removed before he was elected. 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?”

President Tinubu had announced the removal of fuel subsidy during his inaugural address on May 29, 2023, stating that there was no provision for it in the national budget from June 2023.