Atiku Accuses Oshiomhole Of Frustrating Planned Fuel Subsidy Removal By Obasanjo’s Government

Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar says the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole frustrated the planned removal of fuel subsidy during the administration of ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Atiku said this to corroborate the statement made by his spokesman, Paul Ibe who earlier tweeted on Friday, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Obasanjo administration embarked on a regime of subsidy removal”.

The former vice president said, he was, at the time, the head of the negotiating committee to interface with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) which then had Oshiomhole as the Chairman, noting that, he (Oshiomhole) stood strongly against the planned subsidy removal.

He added that despite the resistance by the APC national chairman, the Obasanjo government still achieved some measures of subsidy removal before its exit in 2007.

“But the former NLC Chairman frustrated the efforts. Even at that, the Obasanjo government achieved some measures of subsidy removal before their exit in 2007.”

“The Obasanjo government in which I served commenced a phased subsidy withdrawal.

“I was tasked with negotiating with then NLC Chairman and current APC Chairman who stood strongly against it.

“Nonetheless, we achieved two phases of subsidy removal of fuel and complete withdrawal of subsidy of diesel before we left office. -AA.”

Recall the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) on Thursday, noted that henceforth the price of PMS would be determined by market forces.

“The price cap per liter in respect of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is removed from the commencement of these Regulations. From the commencement of these Regulations, a market-based pricing regime for Premium Motor Saint (PMS) shall take effect,” said PPPRA.

The 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples democratic Party (PDP) reacted in his verified Twitter handle on Friday, noting that the decision by the fuel price regulatory agency is a right move that ought to have come earlier when the nation’s economy was performing better.

“FG finally withdraws from the fuel subsidy and price-fixing bazaar that had been rife with corruption and stalling investments. This is something patriots have been calling for and for which I was demonised,” said the former vice president.

“The stoppage of subsidy and price-fixing is a right move, although it should have come earlier when the economy was stronger.

“FG and state governments should proceed to remove other impediments and roll out incentives to spur investments in the sector, especially the numerous refineries that had been licensed but are yet to be built.  Then ensure the quality of fuel meets set standards. -AA.”