Falana Demands Accountability on Fuel Subsidy Savings

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has demanded accountability from the Federal Government concerning the benefits derived from the savings following the removal of the fuel subsidy, which President Bola Tinubu announced upon taking office in May 2023. This policy led to increased fuel prices, with the government justifying the removal by stating that subsidy payments were not budgeted for at the time.

Falana criticized the government, stating that many Nigerians have not experienced improvements since the subsidy removal. During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, he questioned the usage of the extra funds that local governments have received, citing that Ekiti State had taken about N5.4 billion between January and May 2023 without fixing critical infrastructure like roads.

He emphasized that the money saved from fuel importation, estimated at $10 billion annually, is primarily used for debt servicing, urging Nigerians to demand accountability from their leaders across all government tiers.