By; CHUKS MELFORD, Port Harcourt.
Following apparent disconnect and observed conflicting thread of communication amongst leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and key officials and some members of the Federal Executive Council on its economic policies and the subsidy regime, the Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State chapter, Felix Obuah says such development portends grave danger to the nation’s survival as it exposes the lack of proper coordination of the APC government.
The PDP Chairman made this observation having been inundated with position statements as well as actions of the APC leaders towards the current fuel hike and the supposedly deregulation policy and subsidy removal by the APC.
Bro Obuah recalled that during his electioneering campaign, President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC leadership told Nigerians that there was nothing like subsidy, describing it as a scam, assuring that subsidy removal won’t be an issue to them, if elected. They also organized and sponsored nationwide protest tagged “Occupy Nigeria” against the removal of subsidy by the Jonathan administration in 2012.
This was also responsible for why the 2016 Budget of the federal government does not contain the subsidy funds.
On May 24, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari was quoted to have said “I do not understand what subsidy is”, while on January 15, 2016, the former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi said “government will not pay subsidy” and that “we are not saying oil subsidy has been removed”. On the contrary, on May 11, 2016, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu said “Subsidy has been removed” and that “subsidy removal will sustain supply and reduce suffering”.
Again, on May 14, 2016, the Minister of Information and Communication, Lai Mohammed said the “removal of subsidy will create 200, 000 jobs and that new fuel price regime was inevitable,” followed by the national leader of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who had on May 13, 2016 said “removal of subsidy, a bold and visible move,” but later supported President Buhari while Femi Falana condemned price hike on petroleum products.
Surprisingly, Vice President Osinbajo on May 14, 2016 said “federal government has not removed subsidy, but just price hike”.
Obuah therefore asks, who should Nigerians believe amongst the APC leaders, when none is ready to admit or say the truth even when the prevailing situation in the country and their actions have justified and vindicated the PDP and Jonathan’s administration on the deregulation efforts.
It is true that the APC government is still not focused and stable, and it is also important that officials and leaders of the party admit their failure and inexperience in governance.
The imperative on the federal government now is to do everything as soon as possible to improve the nation’s economy and reduce untold hardship and pains on the citizens, the PDP Chairman said.
