How President Tinubu Won the Hearts of Governors with His Bold Move to End Fuel Subsidy

Patrick OdeyJune 7, 2023

2 minutes read

President Bola Tinubu has received a vote of confidence from state governors for his courageous decision to stop paying fuel subsidy in Nigeria.

The governors, who met with the president at the State House on Wednesday, expressed their strong support for his economic reform agenda.

The meeting, which was attended by members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by its chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, was an opportunity for the president to share his vision and solicit the cooperation of the governors in addressing the challenges of poverty and security in the country.

President Tinubu urged the governors to put aside their political differences and work together for the common good of the nation.

He said poverty was not a natural condition, but a result of social injustice and mismanagement. He called on the political leaders to focus on improving the lives of the people and safeguarding the future of democracy.

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“We are a family occupying one house and sleeping in different rooms. If we see it that way and push forward, we will get our people out of poverty. A determined mind is a fertile ground for delivering results,” he said.

The president said he was ready to collaborate with the governors on various development projects and initiatives. He said he had taken a bold step by removing fuel subsidy, which had been a drain on the nation’s resources and a source of corruption. He said the savings from the subsidy removal would be channeled to other productive sectors of the economy.

“We need synergy to fight other vices like corruption. We are trying to get smugglers out of the way. How do we work together to galvanise the economy and put resources in place? We must think and perform. After removing subsidy, there must be savings accruing to the Federation Account,” he said.

The president also emphasised the importance of education as a tool for poverty eradication. He said his administration was committed to investing more in education and ensuring quality and access for all Nigerians.

“How do we address the unacceptable level of poverty? How much are we investing in education, the only tool against poverty? I am ready to collaborate with you,” he said.

The president also expressed concern over the security situation in some states, especially in the north-east and north-west regions. He advised the governors to take proactive measures to tackle the security challenges and not assume that they were isolated incidents.

The Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRazaq, thanked the president for inviting them to deliberate on national issues. He assured him that the governors would support his efforts to achieve his human development goals.

“The NGF will follow the tradition of working constitutionally and harmoniously with you,” he said.