Subsidy beneficiaries ganged up against Tinubu’s govt at inception, says Bamidele

Reiterates FG’s resolve not to retrench public servants

Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) has explained how key beneficiaries of petrol subsidy made governance difficult for President Bola Tinubu in the first 18 months of his administration.

He commended the President for steps taken to stabilise the domestic economy, saying the administration “is determined not to retrench Nigerian workers regardless of the situation the country finds itself in.”

In a statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, yesterday, Bamidele highlighted the imperatives of petrol subsidy removal at the inception of Tinubu’s administration.

He expressed confidence that the 2025 Appropriation Act would largely solve the country’s socio-economic challenges not only at the national level but also at the sub-national level.

He specifically explained the socio-economic and political predicament that confronted the President, describing how the economic predators fought and undermined his administration because he removed the fuel subsidy in the overriding public interest.

Bamidele said: “I am convinced that the President did the right thing by removing the fuel subsidy, for which the 9th National Assembly made provision till May 2023. However, the people that made governance difficult for Tinubu were those benefiting from subsidies.

“It was not common men and women of this country that were benefiting from the fuel subsidy; it was the cabal that had access to the fuel subsidy. They are the ones taking away this privilege and the masses did not benefit from it.”

The Senate leader noted that retention of the fuel subsidy would have plunged the country into an intractable fiscal crisis, “possibly another economic meltdown” because the country no longer could fund the subsidy programme.He assured Nigerians that the 2025 Appropriation Act would largely solve the diverse

According to him, retrenching workers was not an option before this administration because it would cause more problems. He added: “Look at our situation. We are confronted with grave security challenges that nearly erode the achievements of the administration, especially in the area of agriculture. This is mainly because people could no longer go to farms. It was quite a bad situation, but we are gradually coming out of it.

“While it is not yet Uhuru, the security situation is fast improving across the federation today. Some of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are gradually relocating to their base. Farmers are too steadily returning to their farms. Altogether, things are improving. I am sure that things will be different very soon.”