Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has publicly voiced his disapproval of President Bola Tinubu’s decision to eliminate the petrol subsidy.
He described the move as an act of “absolute arrogance” in a discussion with TheCable.
Lawal expressed his apprehension about the timing and method of the subsidy’s removal, which was declared on the day of President Tinubu’s inauguration. He emphasized that this decision has had a significant impact on the current difficulties faced by Nigerians.
Lawal stated, “I perceive the current situation differently and have expressed on several occasions that Bola Ahmed Tinubu demonstrated an unprecedented level of insensitivity and arrogance, initially with the Muslim-Muslim ticket and some of his earlier decisions.”
He believes that the removal of the fuel subsidy was driven by arrogance. “You’ve just been sworn in and you think that now that you’re in charge, you can dictate to everyone. You just announced the removal of the fuel subsidy without proper consultation,” he said.
Lawal argued that Tinubu should have conducted extensive consultations and held numerous meetings with his cabinet members and other relevant stakeholders before announcing the subsidy’s removal. He contended that the removal of the subsidy is a significant decision that could impact the lives of over 200 million Nigerians, either positively or negatively.
Lawal explained, “In my life experience, when you’re about to make a significant decision, especially one that affects the lives of over 200 million people, you need to conduct extensive consultations.”
He criticized Tinubu for his hasty decision on such a crucial issue, calling it very insensitive and possibly ignorant of the challenges he would face. “That’s why everything fell apart immediately after he was sworn in because of the removal of the fuel subsidy,” he said.
Lawal suggested that Tinubu should have waited, formed a cabinet, put every relevant person in place, and held discussions among his advisers and the cabinet. This would have allowed them to explore alternative solutions to the removal of the subsidy and decide whether it should be done.
He concluded, “Tinubu is merely reaping the benefits of his rash decision, and we are also reaping the benefits of electing someone who operates in a cavalier manner.”
