It is now very obvious that most of our various state governors that came out to condemn scrapping of fuel subsidy when it was removed, lied to us. This is coming as governors yesterday renewed their moves to end petrol subsidy when they raised a committee to meet with President Jonathan to protest what they called illegal deductions from state allocations to fund subsidies.
Pressure from governors played a role in the Federal Government’s decision to withdraw petrol subsidy in January, leading to protests and strikes that forced a review in the decision.
The petrol price control agency PPPRA last week said the government had no immediate plans to scrap subsidies, given that the 2012 budget made provision for the support regime.
But rising from a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the Nigerian Governors Forium issued a communiqué yesterday saying that the Federal Government had been illegally deducting billions from revenues due to states in the name of petrol subsidy.
“The forum deliberated extensively on the continuing unconstitutional deductions by the Federal Government from the federation account in the name of oil subsidy which negates the principles of federalism and budgetary provisions,” the communiqué, signed by Rivers State Governor and chairman of the forum, Rotimi Amaechi, said.
“It noted that despite the increase in pump price of petrol, the quantum of subsidy deduction is still worrisome. The forum accordingly constituted a Committee to meet with Mr. President.”
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