Adams Oshiomhole, the former governor of Edo State and Edo North Senator-elect, on Sunday, ruled out the possibility of the Federal Government reversing the current Petroleum pump price from the N488 and N557 per litre to N194.
Oshiomhole, while featuring on Channels Television, explained that the 2023 budget does not provide for fuel subsidy beyond May 31st.
Oshiomole, while supporting the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who announced the removal on Monday last week, said that it was a move other presidential candidates may have made if they had won the February 2023 election.
He said, “I think Nigerians are aware that this year’s budget did not provide for subsidy throughout 2023. It ended in June.
“All the leading presidential candidates had during the electioneering season agreed to remove the subsidy. I remember the then candidate, Peter Obi saying he would remove it the very first day. Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu said the same thing.
“The issue is not whether you have revenue, if Nigeria is going to save about N7 trillion by removing subsidy, then there is no question that you can take part of that and put it in other sectors because those savings will go to the federation account which will be distributed among the three tiers of government”.
Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress, TUC on Sunday insisted that the Federal Government revert to the old petrol pump price of N194 per litre while it continue its negotiation over the recent increase.
The union, while making the demands, at the reconvened meeting with the government held at the State House in Abuja, Sunday evening, also asked the government to review the current minimum wage in a bid to cushion the effect of the petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians.