By Chief Mike A. A. Ozekhome, SAN
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INTRODUCTION
In the last three weeks, I have been discussing petroleum subsidy. I refused to be befuddled but historic revisionists who desire to pull the wool over our face. All the dramatists personae, who in January, 2012, went after Jonathan’s jugular, are today singing a new tune. Hear them:
“BABATUNDE FASHOLA, DECEMBER 6, 2014
“Now, we should be enjoying cheap fuel if the price of oil has dropped globally. And even as we import the product, a major component has reduced in price. While this has reduced, the pump price of fuel in the country still remains the same. Something is wrong.
“If the price increases in the country when the price of oil goes up globally, then it should also reduce when the price of oil drops.
“I understand that I am not an economist; they (federal government) are the economist. But I have some logic and common sense to ask critical questions. For instance, if one buys flour at N10 per kilogram, and the bread is sold at N1 per loaf, if the price of flour drops, the price of the bread should also change.”
Me: Is Fashola now afraid to confront PMB? Has he renounced his “logic and common sense” because it is now PMB and not GEJ? Reply me sir.
“LAI MOHAMMED IN 2012 AS ACN SPOKESPERSON
Now Minister of Information, hear him in 2012:
“We remain on the side of the people. We feel their pulse and their pains. We believe the removal of fuel subsidy is a great misadventure, and have conveyed our stand on the issue in a letter to the president, though we never got a response.
“President Jonathan did not tell Nigerians during his electioneering campaign, that his administration will only be able to deliver the dividends of democracy by removing fuel subsidy. Therefore, it amounts to arm-twisting the people to say that funds saved from fuel subsidy removal will be used to construct roads, build hospitals and schools and other expectations from the government.
The government should have been honest enough to say it is seeking ways to raise money for governance and Nigerians would have been glad enough to let it know how to raise money without resorting to a phantom fuel subsidy removal.
Our message to the president is that if he feels he cannot explore other areas to raise money for development, like cutting down on government excesses, then he should say so clearly and leave the stage for those who can ensure development with minimal pains. Our party, the ACN, will provide good governance without removing fuel subsidy, and we are ready to do so today if the Jonathan government cannot”.
Me: Honourable Minister, your party is now in power. So, why are you removing the subsidy? More than ever before? Talk is cheap. Nigerians expect your APC government to walk the talk.
Me: “OZEKHOME, VANGUARD, MAY 13, 2016
“ABUJA- “A renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Mike Ozekhome has lambasted president Mohmmadu Buhari and the federal government of APC for unilaterally jerking up the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly known as petrol to an unprecedented N145 from N86.50, saying it was unacceptable.
“Speaking exclusively with Vanguard in Abuja, Ozekhome said the decision of government was insensate, unsympathetic and anti-people.
“He said that the APC was clueless and has reneged on all the promises it made to Nigerians during the electioneering campaign last year.
“Ozekhome said that the increment has already impoverished the people, asking if it was an offence voting for the party in the last year general election.
“The lawyer who was apparently angry with the situation reminded the APC government that most of its members were opposed to the price hike by the former government of president of Goodluck Jonathan in 2012, wondering why they were favorably disposed to it. Calling for the immediate restoration of the subsidy, Ozekhome argued that Nigerians are already groaning under a grotesque 500% increase in prices of food items and other consumables, whilst the minimum wage remains static at N18, 000”.
This position as expressed last week, is essentially the same I had canvassed on November 30, 2011, when GEJ mulled subsidy removal. Deregulation, yes, but after certain conditions precedent, which are not still there.”
“AYO OPADOKUN, LEADER, NADECO – 2012
“It is a sad story that the organized labour, for reasons best known to them threw in the towel when other groups are still willing to give their best as far as strike is concerned”
Me: “The fiery lawyer and pro-democracy campaigner was angry at the early capitulation of the protesters. But, egbon, I haven’t heard you speak out over PMB’s N145 per litre! This was in 2016. I am still waiting for his comment on the new total derugulation.
“AYO SOGUNRO
“Author Sogunro is not only disappointed in 2016, about the subsidy removal; he is actually very angry, because he had opposed it in 2012. In his new piece, “my dear President Buhari, shame on you”, he fumes:
“As I have suspected for a while, the unsolicited trekking I undertook from Yaba to Ojota to protest the 2012 subsidy removal is now just an intensive workout session. President Buhari and his team of economic wanksters have taken a leaf from Jonathan and his team of wanksters. Worse, the new economists in town have out done Jonathan’s ambitions of N141per litre; they have pushed the price up to N145 per litre – inspite of Fashola’s touted logic on falling crude oil prices”.
Me: Sogunro, kindly let me hear your take on the newest total deregulation.
“DINO MELAYE
“The flamboyant Kogi State Senator had led #Occupy Nigerian protests to condemn subsidy removal. He still does today (2016), telling the President to reverse it.
Me: But, will he make good his threat to execute “the mother of all protests”? We are waiting (2016).
“TOLU OGUNLESI
“Journalist and Special Assistant to PMB, Ogunlesi in 2012, fiercely opposed subsidy removal. He had even likened GEJ to Boko Haram, asking rhetorically, “what’s the difference between Boko Haram and GEJ? Boko Haram at least claims responsibility. GEJ gets PPPRA to do so on his behalf”.
Me: His lyric today is different (2016). He now supports deregulation like Ezekwesili, because it was more about “trust” than “economics”. Ha! Haba!!
NOW THIS
“JAF:
“Like the SNG, the Joint Action Front, JAF, umbrella body for pro-labour and civil society groups in the country, in 2012 rejected the N97 fuel price and described it as imposition which fell short of N65 being demanded by Nigerians.
Me: JAF, I have not seen you on the streets! (2016).
“IKHIDE IKHELOA
Lawyer and unrepentant Abacha critic, Ikhide had in 2012, led mass protests in Washington DC, to the World Bank. He had lamented the new onslaught in 2016: “after making me dance in protest in 2012 before the World Bank and IMF in opposition, APC scraps petrol subsidy”.
Me: It is worse today. No one to protest. Even NLC and TUC have capitulated.
AND THIS
WHEN PRESIDENT BUHARI TAUNTS NIGERIANS
President Buhari’s 60th independence broadcast on 1st October, 2020, was not only lame, defensive, lacklustre, uninspiring and devoid of Presidential gravitas; it also unfortunately taunted Nigerians with their God-given wealth – CRUDE OIL. Mr president could not understand why Nigerians are complaining bitterly that they are being forced to pay, through their noses, N161 for fuel, as against Saudi Arabia, Niger, Ghana and Republic of Benin. His lack of appreciation of the average Nigerian ‘s challenges, has, more than anything before now, really convinced me that our president is completely and totally out of tune and touch with the stark reality of the 208 million Nigerians he governs. Or pretends to govern. I wholly disagree with Mr president ‘s illogical comparison. Do many of these countries produce crude oil? Are we not the 7th oil largest producer in the world? Is Buhari aware that most of our industries have since relocated to, and found solace in, these little countries? Those economies he compared us with are far better, more buoyant, less populated and more focused and productive than Nigeria. They do not glamorise corruption as a fundamental objective and directive principle of state policy, as we do in Nigeria. Sir, it is also about credibility, integrity, honour and dignity. Did Buhari not lead other Nigerians, including the major players in his government, in January, 2012, to demonise, castigate and protest on the streets, against Jonathan’s minimal fuel increase. He had argued that the subsidy regime was corruption-laden, and amounted to bare-faced thievery? What has changed? Have the oil cartels he glowingly abused vanished? Has his government not expended more than three times the sums used by three successive predecessor governments for importation of fuel? Has the Buhari government built a single refinery? Are the ones he met on ground still functional? I beg all, please, give me a break from the cluelessness, propaganda, moral platitudes about sacrifices, ineffective liberal disquisition and the anti-people policies of his opaque government.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“We are all hypocrites. We cannot see ourselves or judge ourselves the way we see and judge others.”
― José Emilio Pacheco, Battles in the Desert Other Stories.
LAST LINE
Fellow Nigerians, synergise with me every week, to put our heads together on how to retool Nigeria. Right here on “The Nigerian Project”, by Chief Mike A. A. Ozekhome, SAN, OFR, FCIArb, LL.M, Ph. D, LL.D.
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