Professor Ihechukwu Madubuike, a former minister for education and health, said it was time for the federal government to identify everyone who profited from the fuel subsidy system.
In an exclusive interview with Propolitics, the former Old Imo State Commissioner for Finance, who now holds the job, said it was insufficient for the government to assert that it halted fuel subsidies because they served the interests of a select few people without naming the individuals who benefited from them.
He also called for questioning Isa Yuguda, a former governor of Bauchi State, who reportedly admitted that a friend had once informed him he was sick of profiting from fuel subsidies.
Professor Madubuike advised Yuguda to reveal the named friend so that it can be looked into.
” Who are these people who have gained from fuel subsidies all these years? There was a statement credited to a former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, that his friend told him that he was tired of making money from fuel subsidies.
” That’s the place to start with if this country wants to be saved. He should be asked who his friend is. Who are the other beneficiaries? Take them to tribunal and recover the money first and use it to build roads, hospitals, schools and health centers.
” That’s where to start if they are serious so we can know who their patrons are. Were they using the money to provide the guns being used in killing people in Plateau, Southern Kaduna and South East?
” These things have continued because we are in a state of capture. Everything goes even though we have a leadership, the leadership is on autopilot. It doesn’t hold anyone accountable “.
The former minister added that arresting and holding Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, while those who gave him permission to act freely was insufficient.
If the nation were real about purifying the CBN, he said, Emefiele should be forced to reveal all those who granted clearance to his acts that were deemed illegal and such people should also be placed on trial.
” Now they have arrested the former CBN Governor, Emefiele. But he didn’t act alone. So, a country that is sincere should find out the truth from him, and all those who are implicated will be punished. The problem with the Nigeria Government is that it does media trials, and it stops there”.
The harsh policies of the All Progressive Congress, the country’s current government, were criticized by Professor Madubuike as further impoverishing Nigerians.
“Having removed the fuel subsidy, how is the Government going to provide for the underserved who are now bearing the brunt of the removal? This is happening at a time the foreign exchange rate was also floated.
” About 7.2 million Nigerians are being added to the poverty list simply because of the wrong policies of the ruling party.
Both the fuel subsidy removal and forex floating have created serious impacts on the cost of living.
” We expect that whatever they have gained from subsidy removal should be plowed back to the people of Nigeria this month. But we haven’t seen anything done.
” Banditry is increasing, cost of food is increasing, crime wave is on the increase. So, they have to work very fast to ensure Nigeria is workable”.
