Subsidy removal, retention meaningless without accountability – Sule Lamido

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido, has argued that removing or retaining fuel subsidy would make little difference to Nigerians without effective law enforcement and prudent management of public resources.

Lamido spoke with journalists shortly after the party’s campaign council was inaugurated in Jigawa State, where he maintained that subsidy policy alone could not resolve the country’s economic challenges.

The former Jigawa State governor recalled supporting the proposed removal of fuel subsidy during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying the policy should be assessed based on its implications for individual states and their residents.

ALSO READ: Nigeria must move from consumption to production —Adoyi

He explained that fuel consumption varied across states, arguing that areas with fewer vehicles could benefit less from a subsidy regime that favoured high fuel consumption in major urban centres.

Lamido, however, maintained that neither removing nor retaining the subsidy would adequately address the country’s economic challenges without proper management of public funds.

“Either way, the money will not amount to anything because there is no enforcement of law and order,” he said.

He argued that Nigerians faced rising costs when the subsidy was removed, while keeping it also required substantial public expenditure that might not benefit ordinary citizens without accountability.

The former governor said the focus should instead be on how public resources were managed and whether government policies translated into improved living conditions for Nigerians.

He also criticised politicians for concentrating on what he described as superficial arguments about the economy, urging them to address the underlying causes of poverty, insecurity and the rising cost of living.

Lamido cited widespread disregard for traffic regulations as an example of weak law enforcement, arguing that similar institutional failures undermined efforts to tackle corruption and insecurity.

He said the government must establish effective mechanisms to ensure that funds saved through subsidy removal were channelled into programmes and public services that directly benefited Nigerians.

His remarks come amid continuing concerns over economic hardship, petrol prices and the rising cost of living as political discussions gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.