Reforms, Subsidy Removal Will Yield Long‑Term Benefits – Otti
Abuja, Nigeria — Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has publicly commended President Bola Tinubu for his bold economic policies, particularly the controversial removal of the fuel subsidy, saying the reforms are necessary and will benefit the country in the long run.
Otti made the remarks on Thursday while receiving the Federal Commissioner representing Abia at the Federal Character Commission, Victor Ikeji, at the Government House in Nvosi. He used the occasion to praise Tinubu’s economic direction, describing the removal of the fuel subsidy as a courageous decision aimed at correcting long‑standing inefficiencies in Nigeria’s public finances.
“Some of us have held positions in the past that completely align with what the President is doing today,” the governor said. “One of them is on the petroleum subsidy… Today, the President was courageous enough to make a decision on it.”
Otti acknowledged that ending the subsidy may cause short‑term pain for citizens, especially as households and businesses adjust to higher fuel prices. However, he argued that correcting what he termed a longstanding “bad behaviour” in public spending was essential for long‑term economic stability and growth.
In addition to his economic comments, the governor also thanked President Tinubu for appointing Chief Ikeji as Abia’s representative on the Federal Character Commission, calling the appointment “one of the best decisions he has made” and expressing confidence that it would promote fairness, equity, and justice in federal appointments.
Analysts say the subsidy removal, while unpopular, is part of broader fiscal reforms intended to free up government resources for infrastructure, social services and private sector growth — a view shared by international financial institutions that have backed similar policies in Nigeria.
Opposition voices and labour unions, however, continue to call for stronger palliative measures to protect vulnerable Nigerians from the immediate economic impact of subsidy removal, urging the government to ensure that citizens feel tangible benefits from the reforms.
