Mbah says fuel subsidy return not up for debate, defends Enugu record
- Enugu Governor Peter Mbah said Nigeria cannot return to fuel subsidy and should not even debate it.
- He warned that reintroducing it would devalue the naira and raise poverty.
- Mbah also listed his projects and promised 24-hour power and cheaper electricity if re-elected.
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has said Nigeria cannot go back to paying fuel subsidy, and that the matter should not even be debated. He spoke on Wednesday at a “Meet the Candidates” town hall meeting organised by Afia TV in Enugu.
Mbah argued that bringing back the subsidy would cost the country more than it gains. In his words, reintroducing it would mean “we will lose 10 times whatever we are currently trying to gain,” and poverty would rise sharply because the naira would be devalued.
He also warned that merely discussing a return could scare investors. “It is going to create panic in the system,” he said, adding that those already investing in the sector would become jittery.
According to the governor, the old subsidy mostly helped wealthy Nigerians. He said the government now uses savings from the removal to target poorer citizens through cash transfers and a programme giving seed capital to 1,000 people per ward across the country.
What it means for ordinary Nigerians
Fuel subsidy removal has pushed petrol prices up since President Bola Tinubu ended the payments. For many households, transport and food costs rose with it. Mbah's position is that the pain should be met with targeted support rather than a return to cheaper fuel.
He said Tinubu's policies had steadied key economic indicators and were attracting foreign investment, pointing to activity on the stock exchange.
Mbah makes his case for a second term
On his own record, Mbah said his administration had delivered good governance “across all sectors” in line with his campaign promises. He asked residents to imagine Enugu without projects he listed, including Hotel Presidential, the International Conference Centre, Enugu Air, transport terminals, 268 Smart Green Schools and 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres.
He also named the International Hospital, CNG buses and Nigergas among his achievements.
Looking ahead, he promised an Enugu with no unpaved roads in the city, 660 megawatts of electricity and 24-hour power, with residents buying power at ₦120 because the state owns the coal that feeds the plant. He also spoke of a monorail and direct flights from Enugu to the United Kingdom and the United States.
“If these imaginations capture our fancy, then we have a duty to fight for it,” he said, urging residents to keep faith with his government and work for his re-election.
