He Lacked Conviction’ — Fayemi Blasts Jonathan, Praises Tinubu’s Bold Move On Subsidy Removal

Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has drawn a sharp contrast between the leadership approaches of former President Goodluck Jonathan and President Bola Tinubu regarding the removal of fuel subsidy.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking on Tuesday at the Oxford Global Think Tank Leadership Conference in Abuja, Fayemi reflected on Nigeria’s economic policies, leadership values, and the courage required to make tough governance decisions.

Fayemi faulted Jonathan for failing to demonstrate the political will to implement subsidy removal during his tenure, despite enjoying the backing of several key stakeholders.

According to him, contrary to public belief, many governors at the time — himself included — supported the removal of the fuel subsidy, even though the then-opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) opposed it for political reasons.

He criticized Jonathan for yielding to political pressure rather than standing firm on an economically sound decision.

In contrast, Fayemi praised President Tinubu for showing decisive leadership and political courage by abolishing the fuel subsidy on his first day in office, despite the political and economic backlash that followed.

“When we talk about the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests and the opposition to President Jonathan, the truth is that the Nigerian Governors’ Forum — of which I was a member — were major advocates for subsidy removal,” Fayemi said.
“Yes, my party, the Action Congress of Nigeria at the time, opposed it. But people like Oshiomhole and I actively supported it in every town hall meeting back then.”

Fayemi added:

“When people blame the opposition for not backing President Jonathan, we must also acknowledge that he lacked the conviction to do what he believed was right — to go ahead and remove the subsidy.

“President Tinubu, on the other hand, came in and declared from day one that ‘subsidy is gone.’ He could have backed out when pressure mounted in the first month and prices began to rise, but he stayed the course — and that’s the kind of courage we must commend.”

However, Fayemi cautioned that while policy boldness is commendable, managing the aftermath of such economic reforms is equally vital.

“The devil is always in the detail. What matters next is how you manage the consequences so that citizens do not feel a deeper sense of hardship, as they do at this time,” he said.