As a prelude to this piece, I want to state that I am Anti-Buhari and a PDP apologist though not a member. You might want check my previous posts and comments to clarify your doubt.

However, as a critical and rational mind, I do not criticize Buhari and the APC govt blindly and needlessly like their supporters who would support all of their atrocities. I criticize what is bad and applaud what is good.

It's worthy to note that there are few things Buhari has got right just like there are many others he is doing wrong.

Personally, my greatest grouse with Buhari is his nepotism. The fact that he is an Islamic fundamentalist and a Jihadist whose greatest aim is seeing Nigeria become the Fulani capital of the world. That this will be achieved through the shedding of blood and displacement of aboriginal communities from their ancestral lands is none of his business nor is it of his co-marauders. Another problem is his penchant for loans. But that's a story for another day.

But aside this, Buhari hasn't been completely terrible. Daring to grant financial autonomy to Local govts, is something only Buhari can do. Daring to close the border and drastically reduce importation of rice which is making local rice farmers millionaires, is something only Buhari can do. The list goes on.

And now to subsidy removal and increase in electricity tariff. Let's try to take this two one after another:-

SUBSIDY REMOVAL

The only issue I have with APC and Buhari on Subsidy removal is the fact that they protested against it when GEJ did it in 2012 and called it fraud but now they are traveling the same road 8 years after. If not for their stupid partisanship, we would have been 8 years down this road and forgotten the pain by now but they chose blind and stupid politics over reason and patriotism. But that's what I won't do.

So,removal of subsidy from petrol is a necessary thing that must be done no matter the immediate pain therein. It is my thinking that every informed mind should support the govt on this. Not for the sake of Buhari but for the good of our country.

Just like GEJ said in 2012, removal of subsidy will free up funds for government to put in other things just like SURE-P was introduced that year. Again, the subsidy regime has been replete with fraud. Like Timipre Sylvia said, Nigeria subsidize importation of fuel only for unscrupulous characters within the petroleum industry to divert about 30 percent of the imported fuel for sale in neighbouring countries. It is not doing the country any good. Add that to the economics realities of fall in price of crude oil and adverse effect of Covid19 pandemic and you see that subsidy is no longer feasible.

ELECTRICITY TARIFF

Since the privatization of the power sector, govt has continued to try to regulate and determine price of electricity which tends to make the privatization of that sector a mere paper work instead of practical.

The danger therein is that investors have continually been sceptical about putting money in the power sector since they fear the money may not come back due to government interference in price regulation which is not what it is supposed to be. Being that that sector has been privatized, government is supposed to be a mere supervisor allowing market forces to determine price, and not a regulator.

Let us take our telecommunication industry for instance. When Obasanjo privatized that sector in 2001, free fiscal hand was given to the investors to determine price which was why Sim cards sold for over 30k then. But as competition increased, Sim cards are now free. This is what our Power sector needs. A free hand to the investors if we truly mean that we have privatized that sector. Their activities might be painful at first but if we take clue from the telecom industry, we will see that when competition increases in the sector, these prices will come crashing.

In all these, only Buhari has the will power to withstand the fire and brimstones that will be fired by those who will choose to play politics with this laudable policies any other person would chicken out like GEJ did in 2012.

So I crave the indulgence of all sane mind that govt be supported in this harsh but necessary policies. It will be hard at first but will be worth it on the long run.

God bless Nigeria!

AWOL is a Nairalander and a servant to reason!

So you want to take risk with people's lives and business abi



have you for once sat down to think about the negative effects of fuel price increase in Nigeria


or have sat down to think on the impact of fuel price increase and how it will affect the poor masses

@OP.

Bro, new found respect for you from today onwards. You are indeed an objective Nigerian who is a critical and logical thinker above Party, ethnic and religious affiliation.

I could not have put it better and agree with what you have said almost 100%.

The only difference is that while I can agree that Buhari is nepotistic, I do not share your opinion that this is because he wants a Fulani or Islamic caliphate across all of a Nigeria.

I personally think Buhari is flawed but he remains a good and principled man who is deeply saddened by the underdevelopment and backwardness of the North and is desperate to help elevate and develop the region. He gives the North, and Fulani in particular, undue advantage for this reason.

PMB is nepotistic for sure but not because of a religious agenda or a need to subjugate others. Buhari is not wicked or a religious fundamentalist. He is just desperate to make a difference for his people out of the fear no one else, not even another Northern President, will do so.

Look at his Presidency as a whole, Buhari has been remarkably brave and reformational. He has done things and made changes, that have been pending since 1999, other Presidents before him have not had the bravery or political will to tackle.

Many just remain unable to see the many good he has done because of ethnocentric hatred of Buhari and clannish love of GEJ that makes them disinterested in acknowledging the monumental mess Jonathan and his marauding PDP gang left for PMB to clean up.

Go out and protest instead of hiding behind your keyboard

helinues:
Go out and protest instead of hiding behind your keyboard

Lead the way. You should be out protesting, if sincere, and not here preaching hypocritically to others.

B

Grayoso:
@OP.

Bro, new found respect for you from today onwards. You are indeed an objective Nigerian who is a critical and logical thinker above Party, ethnic and religious affiliation.

I could not have put it better and agree with what you have said almost 100%.

The only difference is that while I can agree that Buhari is nepotistic, I do not share your opinion that this is because he wants a Fulani or Islamic caliphate across all of a Nigeria.

I personally think Buhari is flawed but he remains a good and principled man who is deeply saddened by the underdevelopment and backwardness of the North and is desperate to help elevate and develop the region. He gives the North, and Fulani in particular, undue advantage for this reason.

PMB is nepotistic for sure but not because of a religious agenda or a need to subjugate others. Buhari is not wicked or a religious fundamentalist. He is just desperate to make a difference for his people out of the fear no one else, not even another Northern President, will do so.

Look at his Presidency as a whole, Buhari has been remarkably brave and reformational. He has done things and made changes, that have been pending since 1999, other Presidents before him have not had the bravery or political will to tackle.

Many just remain unable to see the many good he has done because of ethnocentric hatred of Buhari and clannish love of GEJ that makes them disinterested in acknowledging the monumental mess Jonathan and his marauding PDP gang left for PMB to clean up.

If Nigeria will make progress, there's need that sane and rational Nigerians learn to look beyond political and ethnic sentiments to support what will be for the greater good of the country.

Like I said, I'm a huge critic of Buhari, but I'm not a blind PDP apologist.

God knows why he made Buhari our President.

helinues:
Go out and protest instead of hiding behind your keyboard

I can bet my early morning poo that you didn't read the post. You just rushed to comment.

Pathetic!

XXXXTENTACION:
So you want to take risk with people's lives and business abi



have you for once sat down to think about the negative effects of fuel price increase in Nigeria


or have sat down to think on the impact of fuel price increase and how it will affect the poor masses

Those are the short term pains we will have to endure for greater long term gains.

Let not preoccupation to gratify today's want make you lose sight of what tomorrow holds.

Subsidy is no longer sustainable.

Grayoso:
@OP.

Bro, new found respect for you from today onwards. You are indeed an objective Nigerian who is a critical and logical thinker above Party, ethnic and religious affiliation.

I could not have put it better and agree with what you have said almost 100%.

The only difference is that while I can agree that Buhari is nepotistic, I do not share your opinion that this is because he wants a Fulani or Islamic caliphate across all of a Nigeria.

I personally think Buhari is flawed but he remains a good and principled man who is deeply saddened by the underdevelopment and backwardness of the North and is desperate to help elevate and develop the region. He gives the North, and Fulani in particular, undue advantage for this reason.

PMB is nepotistic for sure but not because of a religious agenda or a need to subjugate others. Buhari is not wicked or a religious fundamentalist. He is just desperate to make a difference for his people out of the fear no one else, not even another Northern President, will do so.

Look at his Presidency as a whole, Buhari has been remarkably brave and reformational. He has done things and made changes, that have been pending since 1999, other Presidents before him have not had the bravery or political will to tackle.

Many just remain unable to see the many good he has done because of ethnocentric hatred of Buhari and clannish love of GEJ that makes them disinterested in acknowledging the monumental mess Jonathan and his marauding PDP gang left for PMB to clean up.

.. Thank you very much. Op made some valid points, but where he got it wrong completely was where he said Buhari wants to islamize Nigeria.

Awol1:


If Nigeria will make progress, there's need that sane and rational Nigerians learn to look beyond political and ethnic sentiments to support what will be for the greater good of the country.

Like I said, I'm a huge critic of Buhari, but I'm not a blind PDP apologist.

God knows why he made Buhari our President.

You mean you don't know why God made Buhari our president?

Well, I know.

It's not for him to wipe out 60 years of misgovernance, nepotism, corruption,lack of critical infrastructure n so on with a wave of the hands like a magician. No!
It's for him to lay the foundation for a Nigeria my and your grandchildren would be proud of. A Nigeria where you can drive 50km without hitting a bump or pothole. A Nigeria where the only reason you are pressing your wall switch is to off the lights because there have been on for long.
Buhari has never disappointed me since 2015 because I wasn't expecting him to do magic. Nigeria is the toughest country to rule.
Thank you for your objective write up n sincerity. They are rare virtues.

Okoroawusa:

You mean you don't know why God made Buhari our president?

Well, I know.

It's not for him to wipe out 60 years of misgovernance, nepotism, corruption,lack of critical infrastructure n so on with a wave of the hands like a magician. No!
It's for him to lay the foundation for a Nigeria my and your grandchildren would be proud of. A Nigeria where you can drive 50km without hitting a bump or pothole. A Nigeria where the only reason you are pressing your wall switch is to off the lights because there have been on for long.
Buhari has never disappointed me since 2015 because I wasn't expecting him to do magic. Nigeria is the toughest country to rule.
Thank you for your objective write up n sincerity. They are rare virtues.

Thank you for your kind words.

But supporters of government like you would hardly be this rational. You tend to support every atrocity of Buhari.

He hasn't been perfect. There are times you guys are supposed to call him out.

360degreess:
.. Thank you very much. Op made some valid points, but where he got it wrong completely was where he said Buhari wants to islamize Nigeria.

If what Mailafia said about intended civil war by 2022 is correct, what do think the perpetrators hope to achieve?

nice take OP! like you i'm not a huge Fan of PMB but he has done somethings right. like Grayososaid i don't think he's a religious fundamentalist but yes his Nepotism is too obvious.

for the petrol subsidy people protested not so much because of the price increase but the insincerity of the GEJ govt. we were making an a lot of money from crude oil then yet no single attempt to build a refinery. how many people were held accountable for the fuel subsidy scam?

it's a pity all the tariffs are coming at a time when govt revenue is at its lowest in years but something has to give.

Another serious conversation we as a people will have to have is taxation. our rate is one of the lowest on the continent should it continue that way?

Awol1:
As a prelude to this piece, I want to state that I am Anti-Buhari and a PDP apologist though not a member. You might want check my previous posts and comments to clarify your doubt.

However, as a critical and rational mind, I do not criticize Buhari and the APC govt blindly and needlessly like their supporters who would support all of their atrocities. I criticize what is bad and applaud what is good.

It's worthy to note that there are few things Buhari has got right just like there are many others he is doing wrong.

Personally, my greatest grouse with Buhari is his nepotism. The fact that he is an Islamic fundamentalist and a Jihadist whose greatest aim is seeing Nigeria become the Fulani capital of the world. That this will be achieved through the shedding of blood and displacement of aboriginal communities from their ancestral lands is none of his business nor is it of his co-marauders. Another problem is his penchant for loans. But that's a story for another day.

But aside this, Buhari hasn't been completely terrible. Daring to grant financial autonomy to Local govts, is something only Buhari can do. Daring to close the border and drastically reduce importation of rice which is making local rice farmers millionaires, is something only Buhari can do. The list goes on.

And now to subsidy removal and increase in electricity tariff. Let's try to take this two one after another:-

SUBSIDY REMOVAL

The only issue I have with APC and Buhari on Subsidy removal is the fact that they protested against it when GEJ did it in 2012 and called it fraud but now they are traveling the same road 8 years after. If not for their stupid partisanship, we would have been 8 years down this road and forgotten the pain by now but they chose blind and stupid politics over reason and patriotism. But that's what I won't do.

So,removal of subsidy from petrol is a necessary thing that must be done no matter the immediate pain therein. It is my thinking that every informed mind should support the govt on this. Not for the sake of Buhari but for the good of our country.

Just like GEJ said in 2012, removal of subsidy will free up funds for government to put in other things just like SURE-P was introduced that year. Again, the subsidy regime has been replete with fraud. Like Timipre Sylvia said, Nigeria subsidize importation of fuel only for unscrupulous characters within the petroleum industry to divert about 30 percent of the imported fuel for sale in neighbouring countries. It is not doing the country any good. Add that to the economics realities of fall in price of crude oil and adverse effect of Covid19 pandemic and you see that subsidy is no longer feasible.

ELECTRICITY TARIFF

Since the privatization of the power sector, govt has continued to try to regulate and determine price of electricity which tends to make the privatization of that sector a mere paper work instead of practical.

The danger therein is that investors have continually been sceptical about putting money in the power sector since they fear the money may not come back due to government interference in price regulation which is not what it is supposed to be. Being that that sector has been privatized, government is supposed to be a mere supervisor allowing market forces to determine price, and not a regulator.

Let us take our telecommunication industry for instance. When Obasanjo privatized that sector in 2001, free fiscal hand was given to the investors to determine price which was why Sim cards sold for over 30k then. But as competition increased, Sim cards are now free. This is what our Power sector needs. A free hand to the investors if we truly mean that we have privatized that sector. Their activities might be painful at first but if we take clue from the telecom industry, we will see that when competition increases in the sector, these prices will come crashing.

In all these, only Buhari has the will power to withstand the fire and brimstones that will be fired by those who will choose to play politics with this laudable policies any other person would chicken out like GEJ did in 2012.

So I crave the indulgence of all sane mind that govt be supported in this harsh but necessary policies. It will be hard at first but will be worth it on the long run.

God bless Nigeria!

AWOL is a Nairalander and a servant to reason!

Awol1:


Those are the short term pains we will have to endure for greater long term gains.

Let not preoccupation to gratify today's want make you lose sight of what tomorrow holds.

Subsidy is no longer sustainable.

Do you know the effects of this short term pain

firstly: the naira losses it's value.


secondly: it will causes inflation. Most goods in nigeria require fuel for transportation an increase in fuel price will lead to increase in price of goods. It is not news to you that in nigeria they is no stable power supply most business in nigeria(including banks, hospitals e.t.c) use generator to operate. An increase in fuel price will likely cause an increase in the price of services offered.

i don't know about you but i am sure if you have a business you operate or you are a family person you will surely feel the negative effects this will have on you

XXXXTENTACION:
Do you know the effects of this short term pain

firstly: the naira losses it's value.


secondly: it will causes inflation. Most goods in nigeria require fuel for transportation an increase in fuel price will lead to increase in price of goods. It is not news to you that in nigeria they is no stable power supply most business in nigeria(including banks, hospitals e.t.c) use generator to operate. An increase in fuel price will likely cause an increase in the price of services offered.

i don't know about you but i am sure if you have a business you operate or you are a family person you will surely feel the negative effects this will have on you

I feel the negative impact already.

I bought 30 units of electricity for 2k, something I used to buy for 1k.

Sometimes I fuel my generator too. So I understand the pain.

Fuel subsidy removal is something that must have to be done either today or tomorrow by successive government. So why not do it now?

chrisooblog:
nice take OP! like you i'm not a huge Fan of PMB but he has done somethings right. like Grayososaid i don't think he's a religious fundamentalist but yes his Nepotism is too obvious.

for the petrol subsidy people protested not so much because of the price increase but the insincerity of the GEJ govt. we were making an a lot of money from crude oil then yet no single attempt to build a refinery. how many people were held accountable for the fuel subsidy scam?

it's a pity all the tariffs are coming at a time when govt revenue is at its lowest in years but something has to give.

Another serious conversation we as a people will have to have is taxation. our rate is one of the lowest on the continent should it continue that way?

GEJ's govt wasn't insincere.

Tinubu just whipped up sentiments and played unpatriotic politics in 2012.

GEJ had pure intentions for this country..

my guy let's just agree to disagree cos the number of stuff that went down under someone that had "pure intentions" makes it really doubtful

Awol1:


GEJ's govt wasn't insincere.

Tinubu just whipped up sentiments and played unpatriotic politics in 2012.

GEJ had pure intentions for this country..

Yes it should be ignored but for the fact that the same NLC leagued with political groups to wickedly protest the same decision government should have taken years back & place this nation on a high pedestal of development.

Then, it also follows that the same decision cant make any meaningful impact now that there is a more biting economic meltdown ocastrated by COVID19, global inflation, govt constricting economic policies choking life out of people.

Awol1:


I feel the negative impact already.

I bought 30 units of electricity for 2k something I used to buy for 1k

Sometimes I fuel my generator too So I understand the pain
Fuel subsidy removal is something that must have to be done either today or tomorrow by government So why not do it now?

We don't have what it takes to remove the subsidy

for subsidy to be removed and it will work succesfully we need:
stable power supply which you know we don't have

we also need good and affordable transportation systems (good roads, fast trains, cable cars e.t.c) which you know we don't have here in Nigeria

good and stable economy,
we need active fuel refineries: as it stands now i don't think any government refinery is working except private ones which will charge exhorbitant prices once fuel subsidy is removed

they are alot of factors that need to be put in place before removal of fuel subsidy can be successful as it stands now nigeria lacks alot of those factors

XXXXTENTACION:
We don't have what it takes to remove the subsidy

for subsidy to be removed and it will work succesfully we need:
stable power supply which you know we don't have

we also need good and affordable transportation systems (good roads, fast trains, cable cars e.t.c) which you know we don't have here in Nigeria

good and stable economy,
we need active fuel refineries: as it stands now i don't think any government refinery is working except private ones which will charge exhorbitant prices once fuel subsidy is removed

they are alot of factors that need to be put in place before removal of fuel subsidy can be successful as it stands now nigeria lacks alot of those factors

Lol. Don't be idealistic.

The things you just named might not be achieved in the next 50 years.

Would you want us to still pay subsidy on fuel for the next 50 years?

See, there's never a right time to do something. So just do it whenever you can. Because even if the things you mentioned are put in place, some people will still find reason to protest against fuel subsidy removal.

chrisooblog:
my guy let's just agree to disagree cos the number of stuff that went down under someone that had "pure intentions" makes it really doubtful

The number of stuff you know or that the Media told you?

Grayoso:
@OP.

Bro, new found respect for you from today onwards. You are indeed an objective Nigerian who is a critical and logical thinker above Party, ethnic and religious affiliation.

I could not have put it better and agree with what you have said almost 100%.

The only difference is that while I can agree that Buhari is nepotistic, I do not share your opinion that this is because he wants a Fulani or Islamic caliphate across all of a Nigeria.

I personally think Buhari is flawed but he remains a good and principled man who is deeply saddened by the underdevelopment and backwardness of the North and is desperate to help elevate and develop the region. He gives the North, and Fulani in particular, undue advantage for this reason.

PMB is nepotistic for sure but not because of a religious agenda or a need to subjugate others. Buhari is not wicked or a religious fundamentalist. He is just desperate to make a difference for his people out of the fear no one else, not even another Northern President, will do so.

Look at his Presidency as a whole, Buhari has been remarkably brave and reformational. He has done things and made changes, that have been pending since 1999, other Presidents before him have not had the bravery or political will to tackle.

Many just remain unable to see the many good he has done because of ethnocentric hatred of Buhari and clannish love of GEJ that makes them disinterested in acknowledging the monumental mess Jonathan and his marauding PDP gang left for PMB to clean up.

Yea right. The north is underdeveloped and the solution is nepotism. Remind me shagari, buhari, ibb, abacha, abdulsalami, yaradua.are from where. Which other region has held more political position than the north. Which region has more states and more local govt. Learn to leave emotions when talking

Awol1:


The number of stuff you know or that the Media told you?

media didn't need to tell me anything the facts speak for themselves

Awol1:


Lol. Don't be idealistic.

The things you just named might not be achieved in the next 50 years.

Would you want us to still pay subsidy on fuel for the next 50 years?

See, there's never a right time to do something. So just do it whenever you can. Because even if the things you mentioned are put in place, some people will still find reason to protest against fuel subsidy removal.

If the things i mentioned were to be put in place it will reduce the demand for fuel hence the price of fuel will go down even if subsidy is removed. Also the negative effects of subsidy removal will be reduced to minimal and people would not feel it much. But with the current situation of nigeria subsidy removal will greatly affect people. Also the government has increased taxes these and varous other economic polies that should have made things go well with the people will not be implemented.

chrisooblog:
media didn't need to tell me anything the facts speak for themselves

Facts you extracted yourself from various ministries or facts as given to you by the media?

.

nawao

I do not intend to sound like a parochial critic whose only interest is to criticize any government policy without having a critical look at those policies. The NLC and TUC have sold out and manipulated and now they want to eat their cake and have it back, I guess only time will tell. If the president is sincere as you claim in your write-up I don't know why the elephant project called refineries has not been privatised so that we don't have refineries which is producing zero petroleum products for more than four years yet gulping over 100bn Naira yearly in turn around maintenance and staff salary. NNPC is trying to do a turn around maintenance for an asset it has no capacity to maintain, besides why is a regulator doing a business it should be supervising?

The President fleet has more than 12 planes in the presidential hanger and cost a fortune to maintain this flamboyant lifestyle, the president should sell it and make use of commercial airline. Selling those planes would free up fund for government would be able to carry out project instead of them going to beg and borrow money it cannot afford to pay back.

The presidential convoy has more than 50 vehicles in their motorcade, reduction in the number of vehicles would help to avail the country with much needed fund to carry out other projects.

The government cannot be living an opulent lifestyle and expect Nigerians open their hands to austerity they intend to dish out. Here is a government that could barely afford to pay workers LIVING WAGES but deem it wise to tax the already impoverished Nigerians to death..

Anyway, whichever way it turns out, Nigerians are doom with the set of greedy and myopic Nuisance we have leaders.

Zombilistic reason.

Grayoso:
@OP.

Bro, new found respect for you from today onwards. You are indeed an objective Nigerian who is a critical and logical thinker above Party, ethnic and religious affiliation.

I could not have put it better and agree with what you have said almost 100%.

The only difference is that while I can agree that Buhari is nepotistic, I do not share your opinion that this is because he wants a Fulani or Islamic caliphate across all of a Nigeria.

I personally think Buhari is flawed but he remains a good and principled man who is deeply saddened by the underdevelopment and backwardness of the North and is desperate to help elevate and develop the region. He gives the North, and Fulani in particular, undue advantage for this reason.

PMB is nepotistic for sure but not because of a religious agenda or a need to subjugate others. Buhari is not wicked or a religious fundamentalist. He is just desperate to make a difference for his people out of the fear no one else, not even another Northern President, will do so.

Look at his Presidency as a whole, Buhari has been remarkably brave and reformational. He has done things and made changes, that have been pending since 1999, other Presidents before him have not had the bravery or political will to tackle.

Many just remain unable to see the many good he has done because of ethnocentric hatred of Buhari and clannish love of GEJ that makes them disinterested in acknowledging the monumental mess Jonathan and his marauding PDP gang left for PMB to clean up.

. Please let us be very objective here according to your piece please can you actually tell us here any three major things president buhari has done for the progress, development and unity of this country, please be objective in your briefing no insult or aggressiveness

XXXXTENTACION:
So you want to take risk with people's lives and business abi



have you for once sat down to think about the negative effects of fuel price increase in Nigeria


or have sat down to think on the impact of fuel price increase and how it will affect the poor masses

After everything he wrote up there you still can't reason properly and see the need for subsidy to be removed?

He broke it down for y'all in a simple language. The Government failed to enlighten people and make them see why these new policies are necessary.
AWOL1 has done the work of National Orientation Agency.

Yeah, increase in fuel price is unfair but it's a matter of time before we see the goodness in it.

As for the electricity tariff increase, it is important to note that the increase won't affect everybody, only people who enjoy at least 12 to 15 hours electricity daily will see increment in their tariffs.

I don't know what National Orientation Agency is doing, some of these policies are supposed to be made known to people by them, conscientize the ordinary Nigerians and let them knw why some of these policies are necessary but NOA is just a useless agency that has not been performing up to expectations.