Sowore Accuses Politicians of Benefiting From Fuel Subsidy Removal While Nigerians Suffer

Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has accused Nigerian politicians of benefiting from the removal of fuel subsidy while ordinary citizens continue to bear the brunt of the resulting economic hardship.

Sowore made the allegation at the ongoing 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he is participating in a panel discussion alongside other presidential candidates.

He criticised successive governments for repeatedly using the fuel subsidy debate to make promises to Nigerians, despite the continued deterioration of living conditions decades after subsidy reforms began.

Sowore said he had consistently opposed the removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that the policy had failed to deliver the benefits promised to Nigerians.

He questioned who had actually benefited from the policy, arguing that state governors had emerged as the major beneficiaries because of the increased revenue available to state governments following the removal of subsidy.

“If there has been anyone who has been consistent with non-removal of fuel subsidy, it has been me. It took Amaechi, and his principal almost 10 years to catch up with me. They have now reversed their position on fuel subsidy.

“The question about subsidy is who are you subsidising? You are subsidising the governors. The only people who are doing well since they removed fuel subsidy are the governors of states,” he said.

Sowore recalled that fuel subsidy had been removed several times by previous administrations, with Nigerians repeatedly being told that the policy would improve the country’s economic fortunes.

“I was a student in 1989, they removed subsidy. In 1990, they removed subsidy. They said Nigeria will be better. We are in 2026, they are still removing subsidy,” Sowore said.

The AAC candidate also questioned the government’s approach to subsidies on other petroleum products, arguing that petrol subsidy was the main form of subsidy that provided relief to poorer Nigerians.

“The poor people of this country only benefit on subsidy from petrol, gasoline. There is no subsidy on kerosene, what did they do with it? There is no subsidy on jet fuel, what did they do with it? Nothing,” he said.

He accused politicians of misleading Nigerians on the subsidy debate and urged citizens to critically examine the arguments being advanced in support of its removal.

“Please don’t let these politicians lie to you,” Sowore said, insisting that the policy should ultimately be judged by its impact on ordinary Nigerians.

Sowore also criticised former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, disputing claims about his performance while he was governor.

He alleged that lecturers and doctors in Anambra State embarked on prolonged strikes during Obi’s tenure and rejected claims by some of Obi’s supporters that he subsidised education in the state.

“You may like Peter Obi as a person but he did not perform as governor,” Sowore said.

He maintained that Nigerians should not allow political interests to dictate economic policies, stressing that government decisions should be centred on improving the welfare and living conditions of citizens.

Join us on our WhatsApp Platform @KOIKIMEDIA NEWS YOUR PAGE

koikimedia Bringing the World 🌎 Closer to Your Doorstep