Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has provided insights into his support for the removal of fuel subsidies, outlining conditions that need to be met to achieve the desired outcome.
Obi addressed reporters at the Court of Appeal Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, as stated in a press release issued by the Obi-Datti Media Office.
He emphasized that his support for subsidy removal dates back to his time as a member of the Presidential economic management team during the Goodluck Jonathan era. According to Obi, he consistently advocated for subsidy removal, viewing it as organized crime.
Obi pointed out that the current situation in the country, where he is being associated with the two available options for treating a toothache, differs from his idea of subsidy removal. He drew a parallel, explaining that when you visit a dentist to have a painful tooth removed, the dentist applies a local anesthetic to numb the area around the tooth, ensuring that you don’t feel pain. This approach is different from forcefully pulling out the tooth, which results in a different kind of pain.
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party further stated, “For me, I will go with the approach of the dentist while supporting the removal of the tooth because I wouldn’t want to go through the pain of forceful removal.” He recalled that even during Jonathan’s tenure, various relieving policies such as SureP were introduced when the removal of subsidies was considered.
Obi emphasized that his manifesto clearly outlines how he plans to remove subsidies, stating that he would govern alongside the people and provide them with statistical and empirical evidence of the benefits and how they are being utilized. He expressed concern that in Nigeria, people often endure suffering and sacrifice without seeing the results of their efforts.
