Victor EzejaA chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has applauded President Bola Tinubu for insisting on retaining electricity subsidy for Nigerians to continue having an affordable tariff.
Nigeria’s minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu, had on November 8 disclosed that President Tinubu recently stopped the implementation of a hike in electricity tariff and insisted that subsidy be paid on power consumed nationwide.
Speaking with newsmen on Sunday, Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), remarked that the gesture shows that the Tinubu was sensitive to the plights of the masses.
According to Oyintlioye, it would have been counterproductive to eliminate the electricity subsidy when Nigerians were still dealing with the impact of the removal of the petrol subsidy.
The ruling party chieftain said the president’s decision on the electricity hike shows that he was in constant touch with the feelings and aspirations of Nigerians.
He observed that in the quarterly report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the federal government’s subsidy in the power sector hit N135.2 billion in the second quarter of 2023, from the N36 billion it paid in the first quarter.
He said the NERC reports also revealed that the N135.2 billion recorded in the second quarter of 2023, was an increase of N99.21 billion or 275 per cent compared to the previous quarter of N36 billion, adding that according to the report the government is still subsidising electricity for the masses.
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He said removing the electricity subsidy which government was still paying to fill the gap between the reflective tariff cost and allowed trariff cost would have been another burden on the masses.
“We need to commend the president for not allowing the hike in electricity tariff at this moment to scale through,” Oyintlioye said.
“This really shows that the president meant well for Nigerians and all his economic policies are in tune with reality and in the best interest of the populace.
“Removing electricity subsidy at this time while Nigerians are still struggling with the effects of fuel subsidy removal will not have been the best.
“But because the president is a man who understands what people are presently going through in term of exchange rate, galloping inflations among others.
“And the president is working so hard to make Nigerians smile again, that is more reason he did not allow the hike to scale through,” he said.
He also praised the president for enabling free and fair elections to be held in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States last week Saturday, saying that the election results demonstrated the president’s honesty.
“This really shows that a new Nigeria is possible under this present administration.
“All what we need to do is to keep on supporting the president and his team as they navigate the ship of the country to the promise land,” Oyintlioye said.
The APC chieftain further congratulated Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa for their successful reelection, and the newly elected governor of Kogi, Usman Ododo.
He said the elections of the three governors shows that Nigerians still have very strong believe in the neutrality of APC government.
Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, however, urged Nigerians to support the government in its “Renewed Hope Agenda,” adding that the country will rise above its current challenges very soon.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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