Nigeria: Politics of Fuel Subsidy

16 May 2016
opinion

Once again, the issue of fuel subsidy has come to the crucible of socio-economic life of Nigerians. Politics of fuel subsidy withdrawal has been a recurring issue over the years, from the time of General Yakubu Gowon as head of state. No government has come without harassing and intimidating Nigerians with fuel pump price increase and/or complete removal of fuel subsidy, otherwise called deregulation.

It appears to have become a pastime for our rulers especially when they want to make scapegoats for their corruption, failures and economic naivety. All governance ineptitude by the political rulers are heaped on fuel subsidy. It is the reason for the country's backwardness, abysmal infrastructure, debt burden, poverty, corruption, etc. That is the reason the populace is intermittently administered with some obsolete concoctions of the benefits of subsidy removal by every successive government. Buhari may not have engaged in this sophistry of the benefits of subsidy removal because of some want of oratory.

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