Adebayo Slams Tinubu Calling Him A Hypocrite For Opposing Jonathan Removal of Fuel Subsidy In 2011

Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election has labeled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a hypocrite. This followed the removal of fuel subsidy resulting in the hike of price of petrol. Adebayo described President Tinibu as a hypocrite for opposing former President Goodluck Jonathan when he wanted to remove fuel subsidy in 2011 and went in the opposite direction when he came to power.

In an interview with Arise News on Wednesday, Adebayo said President Tinubu and his advisers should have provided palliatives and other plans to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal for Nigerians before the announcement.

According to his words; “When we talk about hypocrisy, it didn’t start with the labour unions. Hypocrisy started with President Tinubu himself who opposed former President Goodluck Jonathan when he had a smaller amount of subsidy adjustment and all of them went on the streets against it.

“And when they came to power, they went in the opposite direction, finished everything once and for all. It is not a political statement when you say people are hypocritical. We predicted all this. We were discussing it then. Nobody can pretend that he/she is not aware that it will affect factor cost. And if it affects factor cost, it will affect cost of living. If it affects the cost of living, more people will go into poverty,” he stated.

However, the International Solidarity for Peace and Human Rights Initiative has condemned the continuous escalation of the suffering of the masses by the Nigerian government. This comes after the rising cost of petrol and inflation following the removal of fuel subsidy. Pump prices of fuel rose to N617 and above on Tuesday, 18th July 2023 a situation the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has blamed on market forces.

However, a statement signed by the President and Secretary of the group, Comrade Osmond Ugwu and Dr Jerry Chukwuokolo respectively on Wednesday said if not checked now, the pump price of petrol will rise to N1,000 per litre before the end of the year.

This unchecked trend has led to an astronomical increase in everything including the cost of public transportation, food items in the market, rent, etc. The statement reads; “At the same time, we wish to express our displeasure with the passive position of Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress over the whole thing.

“While we are aware of the court injunction on strike against Nigeria Labour Congress, we wish to observe that there are many ways of killing a rat. Hence, organized labour has so many options for protesting against this ugly development without necessarily being caught by the so-called judicial restraints.

“We are calling on the organized labour of Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress to mobilize their membership and civil society into peaceful protests without officially directing the members to a formal industrial action of withdrawal of services which is the only thing that the injunction of the court covers essentially.

“From every indication, it is only consistent peaceful protests through rallies and processions that can compel the government to understand the power of the masses and respond to their demands. If serious action is not taken now, Nigerians will see the worst things from this government in time to come,” the statement concluded.