In a statement release today May 25 by Ekiti state Governor
Ayo Fayose ahead of the first year anniversary in office of President Buhari,
the governor described Buhari’s stay in office as a colossal waste.
According to Fayose:
“President Buhari increased petrol pump price because the
country was broke and it needed to shore up its revenue base. The N58.50 added
to the previous pump price of N86.50 was an Indirect Tax imposed on each litre
of petrol purchased by Nigerians”
Read part of the press statement below;
“Despite his
electoral promise to reduce petrol pump price from the N87 per litre that he
met it, President Muhammadu Buhari increased the price to N145! With this
increment, Buhari has further impoverished Nigerians. Nigerians should be
reminded that on April 14, 2015, President Buhari’s ally and former Minister of
Petroleum and Energy, Prof. Tam David-West, told Nigerians that Gen. Mohammed
Buhari (who was then President-elect), will reduce the fuel pump price from N87
to N40 per litre. Buhari did not debunk this statement made by his friend and
major supporter.
“Also, when the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government of Dr Goodluck Jonathan reduced the
petrol pump price from N97 to N87 per litre in January 2015, former Lagos State
Governor who is now Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola
said N10 reduction of the petrol pump price was too low and that Nigerians will
get a better deal under Buhari. Fashola tweeted on January 18, 2015; ‘On PMS
price reduction by N10. Now they listen. Oil the raw material drop over 50%,
N10 is just about 10%. Good try but Nija can get a beta deal.’ In rewarding
Nigerians for electing him as president, President Buhari opted to increase
petrol pump price by N58.50! The first justification of the increment was
removal of subsidy. But Nigerians were later stunned when the Vice President,
Prof Yemi Osinbajo said pump price of petrol was increased because Nigeria was
broke!
“In other words,
President Buhari increased petrol pump price because the country was broke and
it needed to shore up its revenue base. The N58.50 added to the previous pump
price of N86.50 was an Indirect Tax imposed on each litre of petrol purchased
by Nigerians.
“Simply put, the
Federal Government is indirectly collecting N58.50 naira tax from suffering
Nigerians on each litre of petrol they buy. Buhari is no doubt acting like the
proverbial Agbalowomeri Baale Jontolo (Aking that exploit his extremely poor
subject to further enrich himself). It is on record that on May 2 this year,
the federal government, in the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency
(PPPRA) Template released in Abuja, told Nigerians that it was subsidising
petrol at N12.62 per litre. In 2012 when the Dr Jonathan removed fuel subsidy
and increased petrol price to N141 per litre, crude oil was selling at $111 per
barrel.
“If not
wickedness, how can petrol price be increased to N145 per litre when crude oil
is now selling at $49 per barrel? Increasing petrol pump price by N58.50 when
the federal government claimed it was subsidising the product at N12.62 per litre
is clear wickedness on the part of President Buhari. In the history of Nigeria,
increase in price of petrol has never been as high as it was done by Buhari,
putting Nigerians in severe hardship as the product affects every sector of the
economy. Too bad, those who opposed removal of fuel subsidy in 2012 and funded
the Occupy Nigeria protest are the ones canvassing support for this Buhari’s
wicked one year anniversary gift to Nigerians. The labour unions are now
completely cowed, dashing completely hope of the common people of Nigeria.
Interestingly, this is not the first election promise by APC/Buhari that have
been jettisoned since they got into office. The N5,000 unemployment benefits
promised the downtrodden was derisively put down by this President as
“largesse” with the president spurning the emotional plea of his own wife to
the contrary. To add salt and insult unto injury, he traveled abroad to make
the statement.
“Despite the
mindless and indefensible hike in fuel price, the commodity is still not
available. Minister of state for Petroleum says there is no forex to pay for
fuel import; yet there is forex to indulge Buhari’s foreign-trip profligacy.
Presidential spin doctors and APC chieftains labouring to hoodwink the people
speak glibly of how so-called deregulation will make products available, reduce
cost through competition and the interplay of market forces as well as
encourage private sector to build more refineries. But thank God who loves
Nigerians so much, the lies of these people was by divine arrangement, I
suppose, revealed by no less a person than the junior minister Ibe Kachikwu
himself when he said importation of fuel continues till 2019. Nigerians should
be reminded that the manner of hardship being faced now was also faced during
Buhari’s first coming as a military dictator when people had to queue for
essential commodities. Now, Nigerians can’t even afford common tomato to
prepare soup. So Nigerians you have heard the truth: Under Buhari/APC, it is
almost certain that our suffering will continue till 2019. Nigerians, remember
I warned you before Buhari was elected; I have been warning you since Buhari
became president and I am warning now that if nothing is done urgently, the
economy of Nigeria will collapse.”
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