The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has described fuel subsidy payment in Nigeria as an organised crime, noting that the government is also behind oil theft in the country.
Obi, who is the guest speaker at the Private Sector Economic Forum of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), asserted that no one can steal oil except the government.
He said:
Subsidy is organised crime.
We need an aggressive production of local refining.
The former Anambra State governor advised the Federal Government:
Make resources available to ensure a private-sector-led oil refining.
The presidential candidate who made the remarks while answering questions from panellists at the event also reacted to a question on the issue of the cost of governance.
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I have allergies to waste,” declared Obi who obviously took a swipe at the government again.
He insisted that there was a need for an overhaul of the security architecture in the country, proposing multi-level policing from the federal to the community security system.
Oil theft, debt burden, subsidy regime, foreign exchange, and other economic issues were core areas the forum expected each of the candidates to address ahead of the 2023 elections.
He further promised to other challenges of the nation but admitted that he is not a Superman in tackling the problems of the nation.
To address power, first thing is to provide funding access, tax incentives and address issue of embedded power and renewable energy.
I am not saying that I am going to be a superman but I am going to bring the political will to follow the rule of law, to deal with issues of oil theft, and address leakages in government revenue to address the funding of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
I am offering the ability to do the right thing and ensure that it is done going forward from 2023.
Nigeria’s problems though daunting and difficult are solvable and my appeal is that 2023, election would not be based on ethnicity but on competence and accountability.
The LCCI, which has organised the event for the past 16 years, said it was interested in the economic agenda of each of the candidates aspiring to take over the leadership mantle at the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
