Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has insisted he will remove fuel subsidy if elected president in 2023.
The former Lagos State governor, also said he would turn Nigeria’s present challenges into opportunities for growth and development.
Tinubu spoke at the business luncheon with business owners titled “Business Forward” on Thursday, at the Wings, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Among those at the event were Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Group Chief Executive Officer of Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, former Commissioners in his administration in Lagos, Messrs Yemi Cardozo and Dele Alake, former EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu and Hadiza Bala Usman, among others.
The business entrepreneurs raised issues around education, healthcare development, electricity, investment climate, multiple exchange rates and prevailing oil subsidy, asking how he would deal with the challenges.
Tinubu in his address, specifically addressed the pressing issue of fuel subsidy and what he will do as president.
In his speech, he promised to take bold decisions that will turn the economy around, Tinubu said Nigeria will not continue to subsidise fuel consumption in neighbouring countries.
“How can we be subsidising fuel consumption of Cameroon, Niger, Benin Republic. No matter how long you protest, we are going to remove subsidy”, he said.
Noting that business and insecurity cannot thrive side by side, Tinubu said since it is the responsibility of the government to secure lives and properties of citizens, if elected, his administration would make sure that its priority, same way he did when he was governor in Lagos.
He promised to work towards creating a better security in the country, to allow an enabling environment for businesses.
“First, the primary responsibility of government is to protect the lives, properties, and prosperity of its citizens.