"Members of the National Assembly said on Sunday the Federal Government’s decision to remove the subsidy on petrol would not succeed, vowing to oppose the policy.
Opposition lawmakers in particular threatened that they would do everything within their powers to stop President Goodluck Jonathan’s “ambush tactics” in January.
The Senate Minority Whip, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, faulted the government’s decision, expressing surprise that it went ahead to remove the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) in disregard of the masses opinions against the policy.
He told one of our correspondents on Sunday in Abuja that the government was towing the line of dictatorship and deceit in dealing with the issue.
He said, “This is an ambush tactics, which is crude and primitive. This shows that the Federal Government has no regard for the people.”
Solomon stressed the government had been inconsistent in addressing the problem, saying it would not remove subsidy until April and then suddenly taking the people by surprise.
Deputy Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Mr. Suleiman Abdurahman-Kawu, described it as “another form of terrorism against Nigerians.”
He said, “We will use the law to stop this inhuman act. It is another form of terrorism against Nigerians, who are already impoverished.
“We will not fail to salvage them from this bondage and enslavement. This is another form of terrorism against the Nigerian people which we as their true representatives will not allow.”
The All Nigeria Peoples Party lawmaker did not explain how the House would use the law to stop Jonathan but stated that petrol subsidy removal would top the agenda of the legislature when lawmakers recovene on January 10.
Before proceeding on break, the House had given its position on the policy, asking the government not to proceed with the removal.
In a resolution, the House described the policy on removal of fuel subsidy as “premature.”
In a reaction to government’s excuse to use part of the subsidy proceeds to fund the 2012 budget, the House had insisted that “sources other than revenue from subsidy” should be explored to finance the budget.
Only last week, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, had told THE PUNCH that the House had not changed its opposition to the removal of subsidy.
“On this issue, we are on the same page with Nigerians. Nigerians say that they dot want fuel subsidy to be removed.
“As their representatives, we will do what they say; we do not support the removal of subsidy”, Mohammed had said.
However, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Sen. Aweisu Kuta, said Nigerians should not take laws into their hands because of the removal of subsidy, noting that the government should be given the chance to fulfill its promise on the utilisation of the savings from the implementation of the policy."
What I have to say on that? You had better make this happen all ye honourables, ye had better!
the attempt to remove the subsidy? abi,he has already removed it!
ReplyDelete