By Milcah Tanimu
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has clarified that President Bola Tinubu’s announcement regarding the removal of fuel subsidy was merely a joke. Dogara, speaking on Channels TV, explained that Tinubu didn’t actually remove the fuel subsidy, as there was no budget provision for it before his election.
Dogara made this statement during an interview , explaining that the National Assembly had not included any budget provision for fuel subsidy before Tinubu’s election. He emphasized that Tinubu could not have suspended the subsidy because the budget contained no funds for it.
“In this case, there was no provision for it, and anyone claiming that Tinubu suspended it was just joking. How could he suspend payments that weren’t budgeted for in the first place?” Dogara said.
He also highlighted that despite the difficulties caused by the subsidy removal, this step was necessary for the country’s progress. He urged citizens to focus on finding solutions rather than dwelling on problems.
President Tinubu had earlier announced the end of fuel subsidies during his inaugural address on May 29, 2023. He explained that the budget, from June 2023 onward, did not allocate funds for the subsidy.
