'What Changed Now?' Nigerians Replay Tinubu's Criticism of Jonathan Over Fuel Subsidy Removal

During his inaugural address at Eagle Square, Abuja, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared, “Subsidy is gone,” leading to an immediate increase in fuel prices from N198 per litre to N540. Tinubu emphasized that the removal of the subsidy was essential for the nation's economic survival, as it had become a source of corruption and inefficiency. He argued that the funds saved from subsidy removal would be redirected to other critical sectors of the economy.

Tinubu also criticized the previous system, stating, “Why should we in good heart and sense, feed smugglers and be Father Christmas to neighbouring countries?” He referred to the subsidy as an "elephant" threatening to bring Nigeria to its knees. He made these remarks while speaking to some monarchs at Aso Rock, just a month after the removal.

Interestingly, back in January 2012, as the national leader of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Tinubu strongly condemned the then-President Goodluck Jonathan’s removal of the petrol subsidy. He termed it a “Jonathan tax” and accused Jonathan of breaching a social contract with Nigerians. In a published article titled, “Removal of oil subsidy: President Jonathan breaks social contract with the people,” Tinubu predicted that the decision would lead to greater suffering for the masses, warning that it would result in "enslaving the people to greater misery."

In his critique, Tinubu stated, “Government would have us believe that every hardship it manufactures for the people to endure is a good thing. This is a lie. The hardships they thrust upon the poor often bear no other purpose than to keep them poor.” He acknowledged that while he did not consider Jonathan to be an evil man, he believed the economic policies guiding his decisions were flawed. He argued that those misguided policies would ultimately lead to deeper hardship for the people.

Despite the sharp contrast in his positions from 2012 to 2024, Tinubu now defends his administration's move as a necessary measure to rescue Nigeria's economy.