By Dr Uche Diala
Let me begin this from the beginning. Nigerians were not against subsidy removal. Nigerians, in their majority, bought the arguments made and sold to them (including by me) on the dire need for subsidy removal in 2022/23.Nigerians (including many who were fully not sold on the idea of subsidy removal) voted for Tinubu and the APC in 2023. They did so out of patriotism and a genuine desire for a better Nigeria for them and for their families.They bought our pitch that subsidy was a drain on our nation’s resources and that it was the reason why they were struggling. They bought our argument that fuel subsidy favoured the rich and elite and not them the ordinary Nigerians, and they embraced our promise that removal of petrol subsidy would translate to better roads, security, hospitals, schools, etc for them – simply put, a better life for them and their families.
Every Nigerian who I interacted with in my public commentatory on the issue then knew and told me that it would be tough, but they were ready to make the sacrifice, if it was what was needed to make things better. We (myself inclusive) promised them ‘renewed hope’ and the majority of Nigerian voters hedged their bet and placed their fate and hope on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and us (the APC). Nigerians, in the greater part, are a reasonable, overly patient, long suffering, overly trusting and understanding people. Nigerians did not expect all that to happen by magic or in one fell swoop, but definitely, no honest Nigerian would have imagined that 3 years and 8 months later, not only would most or all of the things we promised them would stop happening after the removal of fuel subsidy would continue happening – even greater intensity – and that almost all of the things we promised them would happen would not happen or at least started happening.They expected that fuel price would rise but definitely not by over 650% and sustained after 44 months with the consequential ripple effects.
At the same time that electricity supply has worsened (even though it cost them much more), roads, schools, hospitals, healthcare, food, insecurity and literally every other aspect of their lives have deteriorated far worse than they were before the removal of subsidy and the promises made to them.To add insult to injury, we have continued to borrow far more than we did before we ‘removed’ subsidy with verifiably nothing to show for all that borrowing on top of the claimed subsidy we saved. The government which superintended over that subsidy removal policy cannot articulate and present an honest, straightforward, and verifable explanation of where the saved money is, what it was used for and why we have to borrow much more on top of that. Of course, it’s a no-brainer. If the evidence existed, the majority of Nigerians would be seeing and feeling them without needing eyeglasses, as advised by the President.So, who would blame these same Nigerians when today they are saying that they were lied to, decieved and shortchanged?
Who would blame Nigerians if the majority of them (including those who backed fuel subsidy removal) are saying reverse the subsidy removal? Nigerians are not stupid. They knew what they knew and how they felt before subsidy removal. It is insulting to think they do not also know what they know how and what they feel today – 3 years and 8 months after subsidy removal.Any policy that the intended beneficiaries cannot begin to experience, see, feel and enjoy its positive effects and benefits 3½ years after its implementation, is either a bad or not well-thought-through policy, a poorly implemented policy or a policy implementated by grossly incompetent implementers and managers.A (any) policy, no matter how fanciful or desirable, that offers maximum, prolonged and sustained pain without immediate and medium term gains and with no discernible (not rhetorical) promise and hope for long term gains, is either a wrong or failed policy.
No amount of grammar, macro and micro economic mumbo jumbo and figures on paper can change these truths. A policy, like a medication or treatment – no matter how highly reviewed – is not potent or effective simply because it is too painful or too painful to swallow. It is effective simply because it has the necessary and active ingredients to make it effective and efficient and to make the patient progressively better. Otherwise, it is a waste of time and resources and cruel and inhumane punishment disguised as a cure or solution.Such a policy needs to be paused, reworked and if still necessary (as I think the subsidy removal is) be properly, responsibly and competently re-implemented.Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has dutifully presented an alternative subsidy plan which is not a proposal for a never ending subsidy regime, but a common sense plan for pause, review, re-assess and appropriately re-implement in a manner that doesn’t suffocate the very Nigerians who the policy was meant to save (which honestly is what President Tinubu should have done from the start, if he was up to his horses). Expectedly Nigerians across the board and divides have embraced the Atiku plan – not out of sentiments – but because it makes common sense to them and resonates with their realities and t-pains.
What is the reaction of the current administration that has delivered this pain, failed on its promises on subsidy removal, and essentially betrayed the trust of Nigerians? Not a word of apology. Not a statement of acknowledgement and remorse. Not a plan to rework and make amends. Rather, mockery and insults on not only Atiku but on the sensibilities and intelligence of Nigerians – mocking their pains and essentially spitting on the graves of the Nigerians dead from their cruelty, by making telling them that they don’t know what they know and they don’t feel what they feel. That only confirms how detached from reality and from Nigerians they are and have being from day one. I pray they remain so for the next 5 months.Prologue …I was one of those who relentlessly and passionately preached the sermon of subsidy removal and who helped to enable the current administration come to power. Unfortunately, what it delivered wasn’t what I preached in all ramifications. I am therefore morally and duty bound – as part of my own restitution – to do the same to enable it leave power. It is a moral and patriotic duty – one which I am determined to perform irrespective of the costs. So help me God!©️ Uche Diala
