The presidency has explained that its decision to stop subsidizing the price of petrol was based on fairness to farmers, herders and low-level people in the society.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu gave the explanation when he appeared on channels television’s Politics Today.
The explanation was in reaction to criticisms that trailed President Buhari’s Independence Day speech, where he stated that it made no sense for petrol to be sold cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia.
President Buhari’s comparison didn’t go down well with many Nigerians who stressed that the same indices used to measure economic growth in Saudi Arabia should not be applied to Nigeria and Nigerians.
Responding to the criticisms, Mr Shehu insinuated that the number of Nigerians who need fuel for their cars and generators are relatively few city urban dwellers.
He also noted that it wasn’t fair to subsidize the lifestyle of city urban dwellers with tax money generated from farmers, herders and low-level people in the society.
According to him: “Is it fair that the taxpayers’ money…how many Nigerians have cars anyway? How many of them run generators in their homes that they need this fuel for?
“Is it fair that the farmer, herders and low-level people in the society that the taxpayer money is taken from them are subsidising the lifestyle of our city urban dwellers? The President is just trying to be as practical on these matters as possible,” he stated.
