A former presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, has clarified that the removal of fuel subsidies by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was driven by economic necessity, not political sabotage.
Speaking to journalists ahead of the launch of his book “According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience”, Shehu addressed the controversy surrounding the timing of the subsidy removal, which came just before President Bola Tinubu took office in May 2023.
The policy has since sparked widespread public anger due to surging fuel and commodity prices. Critics argued the move left President Tinubu grappling with immediate public discontent.
However, Shehu insisted that the Buhari administration acted in the best interest of the country and carefully weighed its options before taking the decision.
He said, “The subsidy removal was not intended to burden the incoming administration. It was an economic decision meant to lay a foundation for reforms.”
He added that the Buhari-led government hoped its successor would build on the reforms rather than be encumbered by them.
