The Allied People’s Movement (APM) has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to immediately provide Nigerians with a comprehensive account of the trillions of naira realized from the removal of fuel subsidy since May 2023.
APM’s demand follows what the party called the “worsening economic hardship and poverty rate, high cost of living, collapsed public facilities and yawning infrastructure deficit across the country”.
Hon. Abubakar Yusuf, National Publicity Secretary of APM, in a statement said since the emergence of the Tinubu administration despite huge national inflow including the over N20 trillion proceed from the removal of fuel subsidy, which the administration promised would be channeled towards improving the welfare of Nigerians, much has not been seen.
APM said for over three years, Nigerians have endured unprecedented hardship following President Tinubu’s May 29, 2023 declaration that ‘subsidy is gone’.
The party said the development came with an instant surge in fuel price from below ₦200 per litre to over N1,500 per liter setting off a chain reaction that pushed transport fares, food prices, school fees, medical bills, house rents, electricity costs and the prices of everyday goods and services far beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.
“More distressing” the party said is reports of massive corruption, diversion and frittering of bulk of the funds accruable to the Federal Government while officials continue to bandy figures and fictitious achievements
“Under the APC administration hunger has become a national emergency. Millions of families are going without daily meals. Small businesses are collapsing under rising operating costs. The purchasing power of workers has been abysmally degraded, while poverty and unemployment continue to rise at alarming rates. Across the country, frustration is growing as more citizens struggle to survive.
“Today under the APC, Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit has hit an estimated $2.3 trillion, with experts stating that the gap would require approximately $100 billion annually over the next 30 years.
“Despite the heavy premiums citizens pay daily, the APC administration is not forthcoming with a transparent account of the trillions accrued to it from the removal of subsidy. No comprehensive public record has been presented to demonstrate how much has been realized, how much has been spent, and whether those expenditures have translated into measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.
“The vague claims by the APC government that the proceed is being invested in critical sectors without real figures and specific project or programme is completely unacceptable and cannot substitute for transparency and accountability.”
The APM therefore demanded that the Federal Government immediately publish a detailed and independently verifiable impact assessment of the subsidy removal policy.
”Nigerians deserve to know the exact amount saved since May 2023, the projects funded and their locations.
‘The APM is not opposed to reforms that genuinely advance national development. However, the APC government cannot continue to celebrate figures on paper while millions of citizens can no longer afford decent meals, healthcare, transportation, or quality education. The true measure of any economic reform is not the volume of official pronouncements but its tangible impact on the lives of the people.”
