Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s decision to remove petrol subsidy, describing a proposal by one of his political opponents to restore the policy as a “demonstration of serious ignorance on governance and the economy.”
President Tinubu said this on Thursday when he received the re-elected Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Reflecting on the country’s economic trajectory, the President said: “I saw one of my opponents now saying he will go back to subsidy. I read it. That is a demonstration of serious ignorance on governance and economy.”
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President Tinubu recalled that before he assumed office in 2023, 27 states were struggling to meet their obligations to workers and pensioners and had to rely on the Federal Government for support.
“Before I came here, 27 states were unable to pay salaries, not to even talk of pensioners,” he said.
Referring to Osun State, the President recalled a period when workers received partial salaries, emphasising the importance of states having the financial capacity to meet their responsibilities.
“In your state, I know a man who’s nicknamed Half Salary. They come to the federal government, cap in hand, unable to do anything. The salary you pay feeds families,” President Tinubu said.
He further highlighted the responsibilities of state and local governments, noting that a significant proportion of the country’s population resides within states and local communities.
“They were at the local governments. They are in the states. Where is the concentration of population? They are in the states. Take out the President. Regard every other person as common men, their families to feed,” he said.
