Former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove petrol subsidy, arguing that all four major presidential candidates in the 2023 election had pledged to end the policy if elected.
Okowa said subsidy removal was not an action unique to Tinubu, adding that other candidates, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, had also recognised the need to scrap it in the country’s economic interest.
“Any of the presidential candidates would have removed the subsidy, as they had all made that commitment in their manifestos. Tinubu only had the opportunity to implement it because he emerged as President,” he said.
The former governor spoke on Tuesday in Asaba when members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Asaba Branch, visited him in support of his political ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections. His comments come amid renewed debate over subsidy, following Atiku’s pledge to restore it if elected in 2027.
Okowa, who was Atiku’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, is seeking a return to the Senate to represent Delta North. The NSE delegation, led by its branch chairman, Chukwuka Ojei, pledged to support his bid, citing infrastructure projects executed during his eight years as governor.
Responding, Okowa praised engineers for their contributions to development, particularly their role in efforts to address flooding in Asaba. He also appealed for their support, saying his experience in governance and legislative affairs would help him represent the district effectively.
Okowa, who represented Delta North in the Senate from 2011 to 2015, also highlighted his contribution to the passage of the National Health Act. He said the law provided a framework for improving healthcare financing through health insurance and dedicated funding for primary healthcare.
