Come clean of shady N5.4tr fuel subsidy deals, Atiku, PDP tell Tinubu

…say APC Govt is cesspit of corruption, deceit
…asks President to be accountable to Nigerians

By Tunde Opalana

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the President Bola Tinubu administration of diverting public funds through petrol subsidy.

Both the former vice president and the party in a separate statements on Thursday said President Tinubu owed Nigerians explanation on the alleged N5.4tr fuel subsidy secret deal.

Atiku carpeted the government for refusing to reveal how much is being spent on subsidy.

Atiku said this in a statement on Thursday in reaction to a statement from the Presidency.

The former Vice President said the “clandestine” subsidy regime was one of the reasons investments in the oil sector had refused to come in.

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He said, “Tinubu has brought the shady nature of running Lagos to the federal level. He claims subsidy is gone but his Special Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen, says they are intervening from time to time while his Finance Minister, Wale Edun, described subsidy removal as an ‘ongoing process’. A document authored by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy revealing how much subsidy is being paid is now being disowned by the very authors of the document.

“Both the World Bank and the IMF have revealed in separate reports that Nigeria is still paying petrol subsidies, but the Tinubu government refuses to come clean. Even a senior member of the APC had revealed that subsidy was beyond paid.

“For a man who claims to be on a mission to attract foreign direct investment, it is ironic that he cannot see that his policy flip flops and lies are capable of dissuading investors. He must come clean on this subsidy issue since he doubles as petroleum minister. The Tinubu administration should be courageous enough to own their policies and outcome with their full chest and responsible enough to be accountable for their actions to Nigerians.

“This denial lends credence that money meant for the Federation Account, which ought to be shared to states and local governments, is being diverted without any form of accountability whatsoever.”

The former vice president called on the National Assembly to get to the bottom of the matter rather than focusing on frivolous issues.

“The National Assembly needs to be alive to its responsibilities, especially in the area of oversight. Posterity will not be kind to members of the National Assembly if they continue to look the other way while daylight robbery is taking place,” he said.

The PDP on the other hand asserted that the scandalous revelation that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration is secretly paying a whopping N5.4 trillion as fuel subsidy for 2024 even after the President announced an end to fuel subvention further confirms the party’s stand that the APC administration is “a cesspit of corruption, lies and deceit.”

According to a statement by PDP spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, the revelation by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun “shows the callousness of the APC administration which is forcing Nigerians to buy fuel at very exorbitant price of over N800 per liter in various parts of the country while trillions of naira is allegedly being paid as fuel subsidy into private bank accounts associated with corrupt APC leaders.”

The party alleged that APC leaders in their characteristic manner tried to divert public attention when the PDP earlier alerted of this fraudulent act in a statement on May 28, 2024.

“This revelation by Wale Edun after series of denials by APC leaders and Government officials validates the axiom that no matter how long lies appear to thrive the truth, like the sun, will always prevail.

“Is it not provocative and an act of extreme insensitivity that while our nation is suffering from grave infrastructural decay and millions of Nigerians subjected to punishing hardship, acute poverty, life of misery and utter despondency by the removal of subsidy without cushioning measures, a staggering N5.4 trillion, in the name of fuel subsidy, is reportedly being cornered by corrupt APC leaders?

“The deceit which is prevalent in the APC government is responsible for plunging Nigerians deeper into destitution with no hope in sight under the current administration.

“Nigerians deserves to know; Where is the N5.4 trillion being taken from? Which agency of government is responsible for the payment of the said fuel subsidy and to who? What is the criteria used for payment? What volume of fuel is being subsidized and at what cost? Why is petrol still selling exorbitantly even with the revelation of the continuing payment of fuel subsidy? These are questions that need to be answered,” the party stressed.

The PDP demanded that President Tinubu immediately clears the air and come clean by personally addressing Nigerians and ordering a public enquiry into the reported N5.4 trillion fuel subsidy under his watch.

It said “President Tinubu should immediately review his economic team with a view to getting capable hands and checking the corruption prevalent in the administration.

“Mr. President must also review the economic policies of the administration that is strangulating the people. Recognizing, accepting and reviewing a flawed economic policy is not weakness but courage. That is what define a leader at a time like this

“President Tinubu should listen to the heartbeat of Nigerians. There is hunger and destitution in the land. The reaction of a hungry people is better imagined! Mr. President, please act now.”