Otti Defends Fuel Subsidy Removal, Rejects Calls for Policy Reversal

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has thrown his weight behind the federal government's decision to remove fuel subsidies, dismissing efforts to restore the policy as misguided. During a television interview on Friday, Otti stated that those advocating for the return of subsidies do not have Nigeria's interests at heart.

The governor has maintained this position consistently over several years, he noted. Otti's core argument centres on the distinction between supporting production and subsidising consumption.

He expressed openness to government investment in fuel production capacity but firmly opposed using public funds to subsidise the price of fuel at the pump. According to the governor, subsidising consumption encourages inefficiency and drains state resources that could be deployed elsewhere.

The Abia chief executive acknowledged the initial difficulties Nigerians experienced following subsidy removal but defended the long-term economic logic of the policy. He noted that subsidising consumption places an unsustainable burden on government finances.

Otti pointed to his own advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence of his longstanding commitment to ending fuel subsidies, suggesting this is not a recent or opportunistic position. The governor's remarks reflect an ongoing debate within Nigerian political circles about the wisdom of the 2023 subsidy removal policy implemented under President Bola Tinubu.

While some state leaders and political figures have called for a reversal, citing hardship on citizens, Otti represents those who view the policy as economically necessary despite its short-term costs to households and businesses.