Fuel Subsidy Removal: Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele Blames Cabal for Undermining Tinubu’s Administration

Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Leader of the Senate, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy, asserting that the primary challenge to governance was not the general public, but a powerful cabal that benefitted from the subsidy.

In a statement from his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, Bamidele addressed the backlash against the subsidy removal, describing it as a necessary step for the nation’s long-term stability.

Bamidele explained that the fuel subsidy had ceased to benefit the masses, as it primarily favored a select group with access to the funds. He further clarified that the National Assembly, which he was a part of, had only allocated funds for the subsidy until May 2023, making its removal inevitable due to the lack of funding beyond that period.

He also discussed the 2025 Appropriation Act, highlighting the government’s shift towards prioritizing capital expenditure over recurrent spending to support economic recovery. Bamidele praised President Tinubu for opting not to retrench public workers, emphasizing that doing so would worsen the country’s challenges, especially in security and agriculture.

Bamidele expressed confidence in improvements to the security situation, noting that displaced persons were gradually returning home and farmers were resuming work on their farms. He encouraged Nigerians to focus on the long-term benefits of the administration’s policies, assuring that conditions would improve in time.