By Patrick Wemambu
National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has warned that any attempt to restore fuel subsidy in the country would have serious consequences for Northern Nigeria.
He disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, at the APC National Secretariat while receiving candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) contesting various State Houses of Assembly seats in Northern Nigeria who had allegedly defected to the ruling party.
Maintaining that returning to the subsidy regime could be counter-productive, the party chieftain identified reduction of funds available for road construction, gas infrastructure and fertiliser-related initiatives – which are important to the region – as possible consequences.
Slamming the Opposition calls for restoration of fuel subsidy, the APC national chairman questioned how the government would finance ongoing infrastructure projects under such an arrangement.
He charged: “The Hausa radio stations tell us that they (the Opposition) will return subsidy. I keep on asking, how are they going to return the subsidy? You mean they will stop all this road construction because they want to return subsidy? Because there will be no money for this construction, all this road again.”
Yilwatda also recalled the inability of several northern states to meet salary and other obligations before the current administration, arguing that returning to an earlier fiscal situation could worsen poverty.
“Among the about 30 states that could not pay salaries in Nigeria, all the states in the north, none could pay salaries as of 2023. So should we say our state now should go back again? They couldn’t pay salaries, they couldn’t pay gratuities. It will increase poverty again in the north,” he said.
The high-ranking politician also rejected claims that the Tinubu administration was neglecting Northern Nigeria. He asked critics to consider ongoing road projects across the region.
