Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore petrol subsidy, describing it as overtly and inordinately ambitious.
Showunmi said Nigeria would never return to Egypt, insisting
that subsidy has failed.
Recall that Atiku, presidential candidate of the African
Democratic Congress, ADC, for the 2027 election, had said he would restore
petrol subsidy if elected, arguing that Nigerians should benefit from the
country’s resources and that its removal had worsened living conditions.
But Showunmi, speaking in Abeokuta on Saturday during a
sensitisation and mobilisation programme in support of President Bola Tinubu’s
re-election bid, rejected the proposal and defended the administration’s
economic direction.
“We have tried subsidies in this country. We started it in
1973. And between 1973 and date, we have seen the result. If it had worked,
wouldn’t we have seen it?” he asked.
He added that Nigeria had left Egypt and would not return to
subsidy.
“We have seen that nothing has worked. They couldn’t even
repair a refinery for so many years. And one private sector person has run a
refinery. And some person who is just overtly, inordinately ambitious is saying
that he wants to return Nigeria back to Egypt. No! We have left Egypt.”
According to him, the removal has improved government
revenues across the three tiers.
“If you have been following me, and I know you have, for the
past one year, I have been screaming and shouting that the economic direction,
the policy ideas, and the things that President Bola Tinubu is doing, is the
right direction for the country.
“Now you have gotten to the point where there’s money in the
local government, there’s money in the state, there’s money in the federal,” he
said.
Showunmi argued for continuity in governance, saying
governments need sufficient time to implement long-term policies.
“We cannot be changing leadership every four years.
Democracy is very difficult, and the ability to be able to even run policy
requires a bit of time,” he said.
On opposition to Tinubu from some southern politicians,
Showunmi said he was not worried, stressing that those aspiring to challenge
the president were wasting their resources.
“You will never see the moon and the star come out when the
sun is out. Anybody, especially from Yoruba nation, who is calling himself
anything, when the sun is out, is wasting his time.
“Anyone who says he is going to be running up and down
television, deceiving himself, wasting the little resources he has, claiming
that he can win presidency here, he is a joker. This election is Bola Tinubu’s
election to win,” he said.
Showunmi appealed to Yoruba voters to support Tinubu and
avoid a situation where the North produces more votes for the president than
the South-West.
“I have come home to beg the Yoruba people that you will not
be ashamed. Because when the election is over, and the people of North-East,
North-West and North-Central produce more votes than you, then where will you
put your face? Therefore, it is time to work now. We are back to 2003,” he
said.
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