extract. . . .
The removal of fuel subsidy was greeted with mixed feelings. How do you see the action of President Goodluck Jonathan?
Well, I have already written about this fuel subsidy conundrum and I think that the timing and the deceit that went around the removal of the fuel subsidy is the main reason people are angry. I think the government has missed the point of peoples' anger about the fuel subsidy. It is not an economic argument; it is not a political argument because some of the people in government are accusing some of us in the opposition of being opposed to it for political reasons. It is more than that. It is a trust issue. Nigerians do not trust this government to use the resources well and there is nothing the government can do to earn that trust unless they get the work of the people done. This government has earned $200 billion from the sale of crude oil and taxes in the last four years and it has done nothing with it. Why would another $7 billion make the difference?
If you were President at this moment, how would you handle the situation?
As I said, the issue is one of trust. If another government was in power, let us assume General Buhari was the President of Nigeria, he would not withdraw the subsidy. He will fix the problem. He will audit who is taking the money in the subsidy, who is paying what, how the money multiply three times in one year and fish out the thieves and deal with them.
So, why do you think Jonathan lacks the political will to deal with them?
Because they financed his election. But Buhari would have sorted that out. That is the first thing to do. Now, while you are paying the subsidy, even one quarter of what you are paying is a lot. General Buhari's administration would have ensured that within 12 months all the refineries are working at full capacity. His administration would have built the fourth refinery that will bring our domestic production to the point that we don't need to import a single drop of petrol. And once we can produce our petrol from our own crude oil, at out own cost, we can sell it at any price we like. That is what Buhari's government would have done. Nigerians made a very big mistake for not electing Buhari, and they are learning every day. Many people have told me that they voted for Jonathan and they are regretting it now.
There is no question of Buhari withdrawing subsidy because he has been Petroleum Minister, Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and so on. He built three out of the four refineries we have in this country. And he built that out of patriotism to ensure that we can produce domestically. So, the question of withdrawing subsidy would not even be on the table.
Let's talk about the security situation in the country. You are a Northerner and the Boko Haram sect happens to be a Northern group. How do you view its activities?
I don't like thinking of myself as a Northerner. I see myself as a Nigerian that happens to have been born in one part of Nigeria. Now, nobody knows really whether Boko Haram is from the North or from anywhere. Nobody knows for sure because their leaders were killed. Now, anybody can come to my house and plant bomb and say it is Boko Haram.
A few days ago, I saw on the internet pictures of some people covering their faces, wearing jeans and saying that they are Boko Haram; that Southerners should leave the North. I am sure that those people are not Boko Haram. Boko Haram people don't wear jeans. They wear Kaftan and their trousers are like this (folding his trouser to demonstrate the kind of trousers the Boko Haram members wear). There are people that are claiming to be Boko Haram and they are not because nobody knows who is Boko Haram. So anyone can make the claim. I think that what we have in Boko Haram and other insurgencies is not only Boko Haram.
The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) paraded through Lagos, shooting in the air and the police ran into hiding. There are kidnappers all over the South-East. Insurgence in Niger Delta; these are all a symptom of the breakdown of the capacity of the state and unless the government stands up and secure the lives and property of the people, they are leading us towards failure. I believe that beyond Boko Haram, which is a metaphor for dissatisfaction with the state, there is something going on. There are forces within the government and outside the government collaborating to try to throw this country into crisis. I do not believe that some of these things in the name of Boko Haram and so on and so forth are (done by) Boko Haram.
That means the issue of Northern politicians sponsoring Boko Haram is baseless?
If Northern politicians are sponsoring them, they should name them. They should stop threatening that we know the sponsors. If you know the sponsors, why are they still walking the streets? If you are a real government and you have your information, why are they not in court, being charged for what they are doing to this state?
http://sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2012/jan/08/national-08-01-2012-005.html
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Well said,Mallam Nasiru.I have always had the same view you expressed on the Boko Haram issue-a topic of continous heated debate with my sister for months!
ReplyDeleteOur problem lies with bad governance and absence of the political will on the key players-the executive ,legislative and judiciary, to truly live above board and work towards repairing the damage done by endemic corruption within the polity. Yes Buhari would certainly have done it because he is a true patriot that deserves to be given a chance to bring sanity to the current predicaments. Our generation of Nigerians are true partriots-I believe we are the most detribilized and tolerant group and with a guiding light like Buhari,we can indeed 'Salvage this nation together'
Indeed people believe that Buhari can do it but past experience of the man when he was a president and PTF chairman was not encouraging to deserve him another chance when we Nigerians are badly looking for a way forward. Obasanjo's regime resently experienced by the Nigerians has shown that old cargo does not fit the sytem currently operating in today's political Arena. People voted for Jonathan because thay believe he came into political arena from where we will the impact of government uneaqual distribution of national wealth and that having realised that he will be able to put the house in good order. Unfortunately, he lost the chance. It is not too late for government to nag those found corrupted by EFCC and let them spit our money for us to use for fixing our refineries and other domestic services.
ReplyDeleteNigeria needs brilliant, bold and vibrant elements like El-Rufai in government to move this country forward.I have said what he emphasised here that Buhari will never remove the fuel subsidy he would rather look for longer solution to the probelm by putting into function all the refineries. Those who put Jonathan into power are the real cabals the government could not confront. Habi! how can you bite the finger that feeds you? God dey!
ReplyDeleteBuhari or jonathan is not the answer to Nigerian problem, The way things are now even el rufai will flop if He becomes president and people like Buhari will plunge us into war again,The power is in the people,we need accurate information on all issues, no politics. This subsidy issue is not just about cost and refinery,if you build a refinery, are you going to sell at a loss,no?,Nigeria is subsidizing fuel for Ghana, Niger, chad ,Cameroon,through the illegal routes,and come to think that even in other oil producing countries ,it is not that cheap,there is economic depression world over and the earlier we prepare the better ,no food for the lazy man.All the same corruption must be dealt with,Buhari is not corrupt but he helped corruption through the PTF,I am a living witness of the wastage of resources that took place then ,substandard road construction and expired drugs ,etc,God will surely bring in an intelligent patriot very soon
ReplyDelete