Probe alleged secret fuel subsidy payment, Atiku urges National Assembly

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called connected the National Assembly to analyse allegations of covert petrol subsidy payments by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Atiku, successful a connection issued by his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, connected Thursday, challenged the presidency to show bravery successful taking ownership of its policies and their consequences by being accountable to Nigerians.

Atiku yesterday accused Tinubu of misleading the nationalist astir its stance connected petrol subsidies pursuing a study that says substance subsidy projected to outgo astir N5.4 trillion successful 2024, which is contrary to what the president promised during his inauguration connected May 29, 2023, erstwhile helium announced the extremity of the subsidy connected Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), besides known arsenic fuel.
READ ALSO:FG paying substance subsidy, lying astir it is shocking – Atiku
In his speech, Tinubu said the outgoing medication made nary proviso for substance subsidy successful the 2023 budget. “Subsidy tin nary longer warrant its ever-increasing costs successful the aftermath of drying resources,” helium said.

The Presidency, however, has denied these allegations successful a connection connected Thursday and reaffirmed its presumption that the substance subsidy epoch has ended.

The Presidency clarified that determination has been nary displacement successful the government’s argumentation connected substance subsidies since Tinubu’s announcement connected May 29, 2023, noting that determination is nary N5.4 trillion being provisioned for it successful 2024, arsenic has been wide speculated and discussed.

READ ALSO: Tinubu’s presumption connected substance subsidy removal unchanged – Presidency

In response, Atiku accused the Tinubu medication of diverting nationalist funds done petrol subsidies, which is wherefore the authorities refuses to uncover however overmuch wealth is spent connected subsidies.

Atiku referenced reports from the World Bank and the IMF, some of which suggest that Nigeria continues to wage petrol subsidies, contradicting the government’s nationalist stance.

He besides claimed that a elder APC subordinate had revealed that the subsidy was being paid.

The connection read, “The erstwhile Vice President said the clandestine subsidy authorities was 1 of the reasons investments successful the lipid assemblage had refused to travel in.

“Tinubu has brought the shady quality of moving Lagos to the national level. He claims subsidy is gone but his Special Adviser connected Energy, Olu Verheijen, says they are intervening from clip to clip portion his Finance Minister, Wale Edun, described subsidy removal arsenic an ‘ongoing process’. A papers authored by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy revealing however overmuch subsidy is being paid is present being disowned by the precise authors of the document.

“Both the World Bank and the IMF person revealed successful abstracted reports that Nigeria is inactive paying petrol subsidies, but the Tinubu authorities refuses to travel clean. Even a elder subordinate of the APC had revealed that the subsidy was being paid.

“For a antheral who claims to beryllium connected a ngo to pull overseas nonstop investment, it is ironic that helium cannot spot that his argumentation flip-flops and lies are susceptible of dissuading investors. He indispensable travel cleanable connected this subsidy contented since helium doubles arsenic a petroleum minister. The Tinubu medication should beryllium courageous capable to ain their policies and result with their afloat thorax and liable capable to beryllium accountable for their actions to Nigerians.”

He, however, noted determination is simply a request for the National Assembly to “get to the bottommost of the matter” alternatively than focusing connected “frivolous issues.”

Atiku stated that “this denial lends credence that wealth meant for the Federation Account, which ought to beryllium shared to states and section governments, is being diverted without immoderate signifier of accountability whatsoever.”

The erstwhile statesman besides added that the National Assembly “needs to beryllium alive” to its responsibilities, peculiarly successful the country of oversight.

“Posterity volition not beryllium benignant to members of the National Assembly if they proceed to look the different mode portion daylight robbery is taking place,” Atiku added