…..says suspension political for 2023 elections.
By Chris Udochukwu
Abuja (Precise Post) – President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata, warned that it would be suicidal for the Federal Government to withdraw fuel subsidy now.
This is also as he has hinted that the government might have suspended its plan to remove subsidy on petroleum products for political reasons.
According to Akpata, the government must have been advised against the move towards the 2023 general elections.
Akpata said this while featuring on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television which one of our correspondents monitored from Abuja on Monday.
When asked of what he thought about the suspension of fuel subsidy, Akpata said, “I hope you will not accuse me of being a conspiracy theorist. The subsidy issue is a hot potato for any government.
Particularly for this part of the world, it is a hot potato. I would have loved to think that the decision to suspend (subsidy removal); I would have wanted to believe that it is because the government cares so much about the people and it is a government that is listening to the cries of the people. Because, indeed, as the Minister of Finance mentioned, it would be really tough if subsidy removal is implemented at this time, with all other circumstances.
“However, something tells me that this has more to do with what is in the offing – an election is coming up and the strategists would probably have sat down and think about it; and they have told themselves and told those they advise that it would be political hara-kiri, it would be suicidal at this point in time take out subsidy, going into an election which is just around the corner.
“So, you asked me for my initial thoughts: this is what I think the issue is because these kinds of hard decisions; these kinds of real tough decisions, I don’t think they are the kind of decisions that you want to take going into an election. Those are my thoughts; I may be wrong.”
When asked if he thought it was largely political decision, the NBA President said, “Absolutely.
Punch
