..The decision of government was insensate, unsympathetic and anti-people.
I have been discussing petroleum subsidy. I refused to be befuddled but historic revisionists who desire to pull the wool over our face. All the dramatists’ personae, who in January 2012, went after Jonathan’s jugular, are today singing a new tune. Hear them:
BABATUNDE FASHOLA, DECEMBER 6, 2014
“Now, we should be enjoying cheap fuel if the price of oil has dropped globally. And even as we import the product, a major component has reduced in price. While this has reduced, the pump price of fuel in the country still remains the same. Something is wrong.
“If the price increases in the country when the price of oil goes up globally, then it should also reduce when the price of oil drops.
“I understand that I am not an economist; they (federal government) are the economist. But I have some logic and common sense to ask critical questions. For instance, if one buys flour at N10 per kilogram, and the bread is sold at N1 per loaf, if the price of flour drops, the price of the bread should also change.”
Me: Is Fashola now afraid to confront PMB? Has he renounced his “logic and common sense” because it is now PMB and not GEJ? Reply me, sir.
LAI MOHAMMED IN 2012 AS ACN Spokesperson now Minister of Information, hear him in 2012:
“We remain on the side of the people. We feel their pulse and their pains. We believe the removal of fuel subsidy is a great misadventure, and have conveyed our stand on the issue in a letter to the president, though we never got a response.
“President Jonathan did not tell Nigerians during his electioneering campaign, that his administration will only be able to deliver the dividends of democracy by removing fuel subsidy. Therefore, it amounts to arm-twisting the people to say that funds saved from fuel subsidy removal will be used to construct roads, build hospitals and schools and other expectations from the government. The government should have been honest enough to say it is seeking ways to raise money for governance and Nigerians would have been glad enough to let it know how to raise money without resorting to a phantom fuel subsidy removal. Our message to the president is that if he feels he cannot explore other areas to raise money for development, like cutting down on government excesses, then he should say so clearly and leave the stage for those who can ensure development with minimal pains. Our party, the ACN, will provide good governance without removing fuel subsidy, and we are ready to do so today if the Jonathan government cannot.”
Me: Honourable Minister, your party is now in power. So, why are you removing the subsidy? More than ever before? Talk is cheap. Nigerians expect your APC government to walk the talk.
Me: “OZEKHOME, VANGUARD, MAY 13, 2016
“ABUJA- “A renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Mike Ozekhome has lambasted president Mohmmadu Buhari and the federal government of APC for unilaterally jerking up the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly known as petrol to an unprecedented N145 from N86.50, saying it was unacceptable.
“Speaking exclusively with Vanguard in Abuja, Ozekhome said the decision of government was insensate, unsympathetic and anti-people.
“He said that the APC was clueless and has reneged on all the promises it made to Nigerians during the electioneering campaign last year.
“Ozekhome said that the increment has already impoverished the people, asking if it was an offence voting for the party in the last year general election.
“The lawyer who was apparently angry with the situation reminded the APC government that most of its members were opposed to the price hike by the former government of President of Goodluck Jonathan in 2012, wondering why they were favourably disposed to it. Calling for the immediate restoration of the subsidy, Ozekhome argued that Nigerians are already groaning under a grotesque 500% increase in prices of food items and other consumables, whilst the minimum wage remains static at N18, 000.”
This position as expressed last week, is essentially the same I had canvassed on November 30, 2011, when GEJ mulled subsidy removal. Deregulation, yes, but after certain conditions precedent, which are not still there.”
“AYO OPADOKUN, LEADER, NADECO – 2012
“It is a sad story that the organized labour, for reasons best known to them threw in the towel when other groups are still willing to give their best as far as strike is concerned.”
Me: “The fiery lawyer and pro-democracy campaigner was angry at the early capitulation of the protesters. But, egbon, I haven’t heard you speak out over PMB’s N145 per litre! This was in 2016. I am still waiting for his comment on the new total deregulation.
“AYO SOGUNRO
“Author Sogunro is not only disappointed in 2016, about the subsidy removal; he is actually very angry, because he had opposed it in 2012.
In his new piece, “my dear President Buhari, shame on you”, he fumes: “As I have suspected for a while, the unsolicited trekking I undertook from Yaba to Ojota to protest the 2012 subsidy removal is now just an intensive workout session.
“President Buhari and his team of economic wanksters have taken a leaf from Jonathan and his team of wanksters. Worse, the new economists in town have outdone Jonathan’s ambitions of N141per litre; they have pushed the price up to N145 per litre – in spite of Fashola’s touted logic on falling crude oil prices.”
Me: Sogunro, kindly let me hear your take on the newest total deregulation.
“DINO MELAYE
“The flamboyant Kogi State Sen- ator had led #OccupyNigerian protests to condemn subsidy removal. He still does today (2016), telling the President to reverse it.
Me: But, will he make good his threat to execute “the mother of all protests”? We are waiting (2016).
To be continued
