Fuel Subsidy:  Shekarau Calls For Prompt Palliatives

Former Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau has asked the federal government to ensure the provision of palliatives to cushion the effect of petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians.

Shekarau, who represents Kano Central senatorial district at the National Assembly spoke yesterday when he featured on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television.

At his inaugural speech on Monday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the petrol subsidy regime is gone and that there is no provision for it in the 2023 Appropriation Act.

Tinubu’s declaration was followed by panic-buying of petrol while access to the product became difficult.

Shekarau said the way Tinubu made the announcement triggered the response from Nigerians.

“He said it in a military approach,” he noted.

Shekarau said Buhari’s administration had made it clear that the subsidy would be removed because it was not appropriated for in the 2023 budget.

“If I were Tinubu, I would have referred to that — that (subsidy removal) has been in the process and we are not objecting to the process, we are going to study it to see all the implications and ensure that we remain on track. Naturally, I think the reaction nationwide is not totally unexpected,” he added.

Shekarau, also said previous administrations have not been carrying labour along in their plan to remove petrol subsidy.

“Once the government moves forward on this subsidy, the labour comes biting hard,” he said.

“It is now the period of damage control. He (Tinubu) needs to go back to the drawing board. Unfortunately, it would take us a long time to negotiate – the labour organisations are already making a lot of noise,” he noted.