Activist lawyer Maduabuchi Idam has called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the removal of the fuel subsidy or sack Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele for insubordination. This follows Oyedele's announcement of a 30-day fuel price discount at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) filling stations across the country. Idam argued that the discount is an implicit admission that the hardship caused by subsidy removal has become too severe for the government to ignore.
Idam Challenges Tinubu to Act on Subsidy Reversal or Ministerial Dismissal
In a signed statement shared on his social media page, Idam questioned the president's next move. He said: "Now that the Minister of Finance has admitted, through the proposed fuel price intervention, that measures are necessary to cushion the effects of hardship on Nigerians, can President Tinubu now reverse the fuel subsidy removal or sack the Minister for insubordination?"
Idam framed the situation as a test of policy credibility, arguing that Tinubu faces a clear choice with no comfortable middle ground. The lawyer pressed the presidency on whether the implications of ending the subsidy were fully assessed before the decision was taken.
"What the Finance Minister has communicated to the Nigerian public, through the fuel price intervention, is that the consequences of fuel subsidy removal have become so severe that government intervention is now necessary," Idam said.
Questions Over Policy Assessment and Contradictions
Idam raised fundamental questions about the policy's foundation. He asked: "Was the policy well thought out and its consequences thoroughly considered before implementation, or is the government now struggling to manage the fallout from a decision it is reluctant to reverse?"
He also called on Tinubu to explain why the NNPCL discount does not contradict his position that removing the subsidy serves Nigeria's best interest. The lawyer said if President Tinubu views Oyedele's fuel price action as a breach of executive direction, he must own the contradiction and address Nigerians directly.
"If he considers the Minister's action an act of insubordination, then he should take responsibility for his position. Otherwise, an apology to Nigerians has become urgent," Idam said.
Warning Against Panic-Driven Policies
Idam warned citizens against what he described as policy decisions driven more by the fear of electoral defeat in 2027 than by a sincere effort to ease economic suffering. He said: "Leadership is not about defending a policy at all costs; it is about having the courage to admit when a policy is failing the people and the humility to change course."
The subsidy removal, announced on May 29, 2023, by President Tinubu in his inauguration speech, triggered a sharp rise in fuel prices. It has since drawn sustained criticism over its effect on the cost of living for ordinary Nigerians.
Oyedele serves as Nigeria's Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. The 30-day discount at NNPCL stations was announced amid growing public pressure over fuel prices.
Context of Broader Ministerial Criticism
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ada Magaji Osekema, the co-founder of the Nigerian Humanist Organisation, called for the removal of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In a post on his verified X handle, Osekema urged President Tinubu to instead assign Wike multiple, overlapping ministerial responsibilities.
Idam's statement adds to the growing scrutiny of government policies and ministerial actions. The demand for an apology or dismissal highlights the tensions within the administration's economic approach as the 2027 election cycle approaches.
