Why Tinubu Kept Fuel Subsidy Removal Secret – Shettima Reveals

According to Ireporter Online, Shettima made the disclosure on Friday during a high-level courtesy visit by state governors to the President at his private residence in Lagos, held in celebration of Eid el-Kabir and the third anniversary of the current administration.

Shettima explained that the subsidy removal was not an impulsive action but a premeditated policy choice Tinubu had resolved upon before assuming office. He noted that the President intentionally kept the plan confidential because of concerns that public or political persuasion could have influenced him to abandon it if it had been publicly declared in advance.

The Vice President praised the decision as an act of leadership courage, describing it as evidence of foresight and conviction in tackling long-standing national economic challenges.

He further stated that Tinubu assumed office at a critical period in Nigeria’s history, arguing that the country required deep structural reforms rather than surface-level adjustments. He likened the administration’s approach to “surgical intervention,” insisting that the government chose to confront decades of economic distortions head-on rather than delay difficult decisions.

Shettima also emphasized that the administration’s reform agenda is not without difficulty, but argued it represents a necessary restructuring process aimed at repositioning the nation for long-term stability and growth.