The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, had said he would have removed fuel subsidy if he were elected president.
Obi also confirmed that he would have floated the country’s currency, the naira, just like President Bola Tinubu did, but in a better manner.
The former governor of Anambra spoke on Monday in an interview with Arise Television.
He said he would have implemented his reform policies in a “gradual and organised” manner.
Obi said everybody knows that the “criminality and corruption” associated with the petrol subsidy regime had to end.
Obi raised concerns about the whereabouts of the funds supposedly saved from the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that the money should have been directed toward critical infrastructure.
He noted that key sectors of development have seen little to no improvement since the subsidy was removed.
Obi also stated that, if given the opportunity, he would have engaged with industry operators to establish a fair pricing framework for the product.
“I have consistently maintained that I would have removed the fuel subsidy. If you go to my manifesto, it is there and the steps I would have taken in an organised manner,” Obi said.
“There is nothing wrong with the removal of the fuel subsidy. What is wrong is the haphazard way in which it was announced and implemented.
“Since we were told that we removed it because we don’t want to borrow, and that the funds will allow for investments in critical infrastructure. Billions saved. Where is it? Where is it invested in critical areas of development?
“Everybody knows critical areas of development — education, health, and pulling people out of poverty. Have any of these three improved? No.
“There is nothing wrong with floating and devaluing your currency. You do this when you have productivity.
“In all of this, I would have done the same thing in an organised manner.”
He added that he would have prioritised boosting the country’s production capacity in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors before proceeding with the currency float.
