The All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that Nigerians should hold themselves accountable for the removal of fuel subsidies, as implemented by President Bola Tinubu. According to APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, President Tinubu was merely enforcing what the law, specifically the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), had already mandated....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
In an interview with Arise TV, Morka explained that the PIA, which was passed by the National Assembly, effectively ended the payment of subsidies. He emphasized that Nigerians had the opportunity to voice their concerns to their representatives in the National Assembly during the legislative process but failed to do so.
Morka clarified that the president’s actions were not politically motivated but were in line with the law. He said, “The removal of the subsidy is not a political decision or a personal decree by President Tinubu. It was a legal requirement under the Petroleum Industry Act, which was signed into law during the Buhari administration. From the moment the PIA was enacted, the subsidy was legally abolished, and the government had no authority to continue paying it.”
He further added, “What President Bola Tinubu did on his inauguration day was simply inform the nation of the current legal situation. It’s crucial to understand that his announcement was merely a reflection of what the law had already stipulated.”
Morka also highlighted the unsustainability of the fuel subsidy system. He argued that Nigerians had become overly reliant on the subsidy, contrary to international practices, and had missed the opportunity to push their representatives in the National Assembly to prevent its removal.
Regarding the role of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Morka explained that while the NNPC did not completely eliminate the subsidy immediately, it had taken steps to avoid economic collapse. “The NNPC, now operating as a quasi-public-private entity, managed the situation by gradually reducing the subsidy to avoid worsening the already challenging economic conditions.”
He noted that continuing the subsidy was no longer feasible: “The subsidy regime had become completely unsustainable. It was impossible for the nation to continue spending all its earnings on subsidizing just one product.”
Morka acknowledged that Nigerians had become used to subsidized fuel prices but stressed that the country could no longer afford to maintain that system. “While we’ve historically relied on cheap fuel, it is now clear that we can’t continue with that approach. The law mandated its removal, and Nigerians had the chance to voice their concerns to their lawmakers during public hearings on the issue,” he concluded.
