Presidential candidates differ on Subsidy removal, Process

The Presidential Candidates of the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party, the New Nigerian Peoples Party and the Labour Party have all called for the removal of Fuel subsidy but have not come to an agreement on how this Could be done.

Spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Segun Sowunmi, while expanding on the views of his principal said the Fuel Subsidy regime will go within the first one hundred days of a Peoples Democratic Party government.

He added that the views of his principal, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has always been in the forefront of the removal of fuel subsidy from his days as the Vice President to Former President Olusegun Obasanjo through what he described as phased removal and the use of incentives for those who may be adversely affected.

He added that the best time to have removed the subsidy was during the Jonathan administration which was widely opposed.

He however said it will be crazy to continue to insist on a process that the Country can not fund nor afford wondering how the nation can continue to fund subsidy running into Trillions of Naira yearly.

He said the Subsidy regime is a hole that his principal, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, says must be filled if Nigeria must develop wholly.

He added that the removal then came with a lot of incentive but sadly rejected by most elites.

For his part, the Spokesman of the New Nigerian Peoples Party Presidential Campaign Council, Oladipo Johnson said the removal of the subsidy regime is one thing that every Presidential Candidate now agrees on including Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

He however said the removal has to be properly situated because Fuel purchase or subsidy is not a process that stands in isolation to every Other Economic activity in Nigeria.

He added that being a leader involves making difficult decisions but responsible difficult decisions that affects the people positively and enhance national development.

He however doubted removing subsidy can be done within a hundred days bur disclosed that it is something that must be done in conjunction with addressing all other Economic issues to ensure their is no crisis.

But the removal according to Mr Segun Sowunmi, the removal has no potential to create any crisis.

He added that Nigeria is almost broke and their is no longer room for maneuver on the subsidy issue.