The Presidency on Wednesday rubbished insinuations that the Federal Government suspended fuel subsidy removal because of the 2023 elections.
The Federal Government had on Monday suspended fuel subsidy removal, pushing it by 18 months.
Nigerians are afraid that the government deferred the removal of subsidy to give the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, the leeway to win the 2023 presidency after which it would implement the removal of subsidy.
Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, in an interview on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, said the deferment of subsidy removal was a valid thing to do, but said it was not because of 2023 elections.
He said the decision to suspend the fuel subsidy removal was undertaken because the timing was not auspicious, as inflation was still high.
According to Adesina, in the past eight months, the nation saw reduction in inflation, but that it went up last month, adding that further consultations needed to happen with all stakeholders.
He insisted that the timing of the removal was not right as it would exacerbate the hardship of the people and that the president genuinely cared.
Adesina acknowledged that politics was part of people’s lives, but said election would just be one event in the life of the country.
He, however, said, whether subsidy was removed or not would have a serious impact on the nation’s economy.
