₦airaland Forum

Why Buhari Put Petrol Subsidy, Forex Unification On Hold – Garba Shehu

The former presidential spokesperson said Buhari removed subsidy on electricity, fertilizer. Hajj/Christian Pilgrim, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, amongst others.

By Kayode Oyero
Updated June 26, 2023

The former presidential spokesperson said Buhari removed subsidy on electricity, fertilizer. Hajj/Christian Pilgrim, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, amongst others.

Garba Shehu, a former spokesperson for ex-President Muhammadu Buhari has explained that the former Nigerian leader put petrol subsidy removal and the unification of the country’s foreign exchange rates on hold “for a better time”.

Shehu made this known in a statement on Monday exactly four weeks after President Bola Tinubu took over from Buhari on May 29, 2023 and announced petrol subsidy removal, with a litre of the vital commodity jumping from N184 to over N500, amid attendant economic pain.

“Removing subsidies for the Naira and PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) was cued and put on hold. Look for example in the Petroleum Industry Act. The important decision was kept for a better time,” Shehu said.

“It could not have come at a time when tensions were high in the country and no responsible leader would have added fuel to the fire.”

The former presidential spokesman said only a new administration with a “goodwill that fills a warehouse can attempt” such in view of the volatile security situation of the country when Buhari held sway as Nigeria’s president between May 2015 and May 2023.

‘APC Had To Win 2023 Poll’

Shehu also noted that being “politically honest”, the Buhari administration, in its last days, could not have gone ahead with the earth-shaking reforms “because the APC (All Progressives Congress) had an election to win”.

He said the ruling party would have been thrown out of office if the decision on subsidy removal on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as petrol was made.

“With the election now behind us, a capable leader as we now have in place is best positioned to move forward. We have nothing but confidence that the new administration will carry the nation and all its constituents into a stable future in the aftermath of these major economic and financial decisions,” Shehu added.

He lauded the timing of the decisions to remove petrol subsidy and unify foreign exchange rates by the Tinubu administration, saying the President and his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima has done “overwhelmingly well” and have been “most dexterous in managing the aftermath of the decisions by successfully avoiding any crisis”.

‘Buhari Removed Other Subsidies’

The former presidential spokesman further stated that though his ex-boss did not remove petrol subsidy, he removed electricity subsidy, fertilizer subsidy. Hajj/Christian Pilgrim subsidies, diesel subsidy, aviation fuel subsidy, kerosene subsidy, amongst others.

“For those with short memories, many of those subsides were all in place when President Buhari was elected to office in 2015: all those in place were gone by May 2023 – including the annual fertilizer subsidy that weighed 60-100 billion Naira (that’s trillion naira in about 10 years – yes you read that right) heavy on the federal budget each year.

“So no, Buhari didn’t remove the petrol subsidy – but in vitally important stages, he removed every other budget-busting, egregious, economic-growth-crushing subsidy along the way,” Shehu stated.

Godmann:
So the South South has no leadership that PH Airport has to be renamed to Awo? Just asking oooh

naptu2:
Nnamdi Azikiwe Road Kaduna, Olu Obasanjo Road Port-Harcourt, Alfred Rewane Way Lagos, Muhammadu Buhari Bridge Anambra-Delta, Yakubu Gowon Stadium Port-Harcourt, etc.

It doesn't have to be in the town or region that the person comes from.

naptu2:
The facility does not need to be in the South-West before it can be named after Awolowo. Usman Dan Fodio is associated with Sokoto, which is in the North-West, but an airport in Nasarawa, which is in the North-Central, was named after him.

jice:

Note my complaint
Awolowo is not bad but there are enough institutions in the SouthWest to name after him since he made this one look like the names should be after a great man from the region

Ajehkpako4naija:
The airport named after BUHARI will never function well

Henadih:
Osubi Airport – Remains Osubi Airport period. we don't need a change of its name. it is not a Federal Airport so mind your Business.
even if it is to be named don't we have prominent nationalist from delta State (Micheal Ibru, Okotie Eboh, Alfred Rewani, Dennis Osadebe, etc. why not name it after them. Why bring someone from Rivers state. River state already have an Airport so name it after him if at all. But we don't want it renamed especially not by you if at all it should be renamed.

jice:
PH's is a spite on the people of the region.

The great King Jaja of Opoba, Queen Nana , Saro Wiwa etc were neglected. Awolowo is not bad but there are enough institutions in the SouthWest to name after him since he made this one look like the names should be after a great man from the region.

Tinubu Renames Airports After Buhari, Usman Dan Fodio, Awolowo, Others

The statement noted that the President renamed the airports “as part of reforms of the Aviation sector”.


By Donatus Anichukwueze
Updated June 26, 2023

The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has renamed some federal airports after several notable Nigerians.

This is according to a memo by the Federal Ministry of Aviation dated June 1, 2023, and signed by Mrs Joke Olatunji for the Director of Airport Operations.

The statement made available to Channels Television on Monday noted that the President renamed the airports “as part of reforms of the Aviation sector”.

The Maiduguri Airport was renamed after the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari and the Port Harcourt Airport after the late nationalist Obafemi Awolowo, while the Nasarawa Airport immortalised the late founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Usman Dan Fodio.

Also, the Benin Airport was renamed after the late Oba of Benin, Oba Akenzua II, Ebonyi Airport after the late Senate President Chuba Okadigbo, and the Ibadan Airport after the late Premier of the old Western Region, Ladoke Akintola.

See the full list below:

1. Akure Airport – Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu

2. Benin Airport – Oba Akenzua II

3. Dutse Airport – Muhammad Nuhu Sanusi

4. Ebonyi Airport – Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo

5. Gombe Airport – Brigadier Zakari Maimalari

6. Ibadan Airport – Samuel Ladoke Akintola

7. Ilorin Airport – Gen. Tunde Idiagbon

8. Kaduna Airport – Hassan Usman Katsina

9. Maiduguri Airport – Gen. Mumammadu Buhari

10. Makurdi Airport – Joseph Sarwuan Tarka

11. Minna Airpor – Mallam Abubakar Imam

12. Nassarawa Airport – Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio

13. Osubi Airport – Alfred Diete Spiff

14. Port Harcourt Airport – Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo

15. Yola Airport – Lamido Aliyu Mustapha

Maazieze:
Thank you naptu2 we need more investigative journalism like this

Menclothing:
What should we do

Kano Govt to reconstruct demolished iconic silver jubilee monument

Kano state government has announced plan to reposition the iconic silver jubilee monument demolished at the state government house roundabout to a more secure place at the Naibawa flyover few kilometers away from the city.

The monument which was constructed in 2017 to mark Kano at 50 by the immediate past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje as enlisted into the list of demolished properties by the government in its bid to restore the state’s masterplan.

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf had approved the demolition of the monument citing security reasons.

According to a statement issued Sunday night by the Governor’s acting chief press secretary, Hisham Habib, Abba Yusuf expressed the government’s commitment to infrastructure development when he met with Kaltume Hana, the architect of the Golden Jubilee edifice, at the new site for the building of the structure.

According to the statement, Governor Yusuf said the place is suitable for the work and will not pose any challenge after a careful survey was conducted and assured the citizens of better projects ahead.

AsomughaChuks05:
Anambra state vigilante services have been killing Ipob's unknown gunmen unit for some time now. That's why their activities have reduced significantly in the state. Though their camp in the thick mangrove Ogbaru forests still need to be raided. That's where they still have their only active base camp in Anambra.