Tinubu’s govt didn’t lie about fuel subsidy — Presidency

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has said President Bola Tinubu’s government did not lie about fuel subsidy.

According to him, subsidy provisions had disappeared from Nigeria’s budget and were not included in the supplementary budget of 2023.

Onanuga who said this in a statement on his official X page, said claims that the current government had been unfaithful to its policy of not paying fuel subsidy since President Tinubu announced the deregulation of the PMS sector on May 29, 2023, were untrue.

He said:  “I have read a series of articles attacking the federal government for not telling the truth about fuel subsidy payments, following NNPC Limited’s admission that it owes suppliers some $6 billion.

“Some of the stories have been written with relish, as the authors believe they have uncovered significant scoops.

“The truth is that there is no discovery. No lie uncovered. The government has been faithful to its policy of no longer paying fuel subsidy since President Tinubu announced the deregulation of the PMS sector on May 29, 2023.

”Since then, subsidy provisions have disappeared from the budget. They were not included in the supplementary budget of 2023, the 2024 budget, or the amended 2024 budget.

“So the sensational headlines about the so-called unraveling of Tinubu government’s subsidy payment and the return of subsidies are unjustified.

“Rather, what has emerged is the commendable stance of the oil company, owned by all tiers of government, to absorb the rising costs of petrol at the pump and protect the Nigerian consumer