Public Affairs Analyst Yusuf Haroun has defended the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu, saying the decision was not a surprise because major presidential candidates had openly declared their intention to end the policy before the 2023 election.
Haroun made the remarks during an interview on TVC News while discussing the economic reforms introduced by the current administration and the public reaction that followed the subsidy removal.
According to him, President Tinubu, popularly known as Asiwaju, had repeatedly informed Nigerians during the campaign period that he would eliminate fuel subsidy despite knowing the move could trigger protests and hardship.
“Asiwaju said he is going to remove subsidy even before he was elected. He said we will protest but he will remove it. Atiku also said so, Obi said so,” Haroun stated during the interview.
The analyst explained that the issue of fuel subsidy had long been considered unsustainable by many economists and political leaders due to the heavy financial burden it placed on the country. He noted that several presidential candidates across party lines had acknowledged the need for reforms before the election.
Haroun added that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi also publicly supported subsidy removal during their campaigns, arguing that the policy was draining national resources that could be redirected into development projects and infrastructure.