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The recent hike in petroleum price is being trailed with mixed reactions from the masses. The Buhari administration has been criticized for implementing the removal of petroleum subsidy, a policy he was alleged to have vehemently opposed under the government of his immediate predecessor former president Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking as a guest analyst in a live radio program on Paramount FM Abeokuta Ogun state, Oladimeji Salako a political analyst said as against what is being popularized, President Buhari and Nigerians were never opposed to subsidy removal under former president Jonathan.

He expressed that; the behemoth who protested in the 2012 subsidy saga unequivocally protested against three (3) things; the failed integrity and financial imprudence of the then government in power, the undemocratic and exertive process of introducing the policy, and perhaps the ill-timing.

He furthered by making reference to the build up to the 2015 general election where at Chatham House London, President Buhari had publicly pronounced Fuel Subsidy a scam. Therefore, he would not have opposed a policy he clamored for.

Reacting to the criticism that Buhari government was not considerate giving that the policy is being implemented at a time people are still struggling to survive from the effect of Covid-19 pandemic, the political analyst pointed that it is unfortunate that it was not too known that the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) had in March 2020 announced that it had begun fuel price modulation, which meant that the price of fuel would be determined mainly by the international price of crude oil.

Sequel to this announcement, the price of fuel then dropped from 145 to 125 Naira per litre, and then to between 121.50 and 123.50 Naira per liter in May. With the low price of crude oil then, the cost of petrol, which is a derivative of crude oil, fell, and the lower pump price was passed on to the consumers to enjoy. He said with the price of crude inching up, the price of petrol locally is also bound to increase, hence the latest price of 162 Naira per litre. He opined that if, per chance, the price of crude drops again, the price of petrol will also drop, and the benefits will also be passed on to the consumers. The current price is not a foreclosure and it could be reviewed downwards once there is a drop as established.

The young and renowned political analyst noted that prior to the ascension to power of president Buhari in 2015, the pattern of governance in Nigeria is determined by political impulsion instead of being teleological– that is, aside from their imprudence, the reactions of previous administrations since the return of the Nigeria nascent democracy were premised on electoral impulses and not vision statement. He lamented that it is the consequence of this contraption that provoked a need for change.

Nigeria cannot continue to be run with trial and error approach. Government must be bold to take critical and decisive policy. The cost of fuel subsidy is too high and unsustainable. Where government was wrong, there is the need for a review, where she is right; the citizens needs better education, conviction and the audacious expression of political will from government. It makes government responsible, responsive and necessary.

From 2006 to 2019, fuel subsidy gulped 10.413 Trillion Naira. That is an average of 743.8 billion Naira per annum. Nigeria during this period were subsidizing three categories of society; the Nigeria masses, the ghost oil marketers and citizens of neighboring countries that Nigeria government do not owe any allegiance. The proceeds from these waste of the nation scarce resources will be useful to build a strong economy, good and sustainable infrastructure, stable electricity, job opportunities, hygiene political system, food security, and quality and valuable life assurance.

Salako said, ordinarily, the coming Edo, and Ondo states gubernatorial elections should have stopped the APC led federal government from implementing a contentious policy (such as the fuel Price Modulation) that are susceptible to political manipulations. This is a turn-around and a political new normal in the history of public policy in Nigeria and therefore the Buhari led government must be celebrated for demonstrating courage and putting nationalism above partisanship and electoral gains he concluded.