Fuel subsidy: Peter Obi reveals his worries, takes position

Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, says he supported the removal of subsidy right from the former President Goodluck Jonathan era, when he was a member of the Economic Management Team.

However, Obi said, “The problem in Nigeria is that often the government tells the masses to suffer and sacrifice for a better future, but in the future, things get worse.”

The former governor said he had consistently maintained that subsidy should be removed because it was organized crime.

In a post via his verified Twitter handle on Tuesday, Obi argued that “People were just stealing the resources of the country, pointing out that Nigerians were not consuming the amount of fuel they claimed they consumed.”

He said, “If you have followed me very well right from the time I was a member of Jonathan’s economic management team, I consistently maintained that subsidy should be removed because I see it as organized crime.

“If you read my manifesto, you will see clearly how I planned to remove subsidies. I will govern with the people and show them statistically and empirically what we are going to save, and what we are going to do with the savings to better the suffering masses.

“The problem in Nigeria is that, often the government tells the masses to suffer and sacrifice, for a better future; but in the future things get worse.”