The Deputy Chief Whip of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Ted Elemeforo, has intensified the political discourse surrounding the removal of the fuel subsidy, demanding a public apology from President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership.
In a recent interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker accused the APC of “double standards” and “hypocrisy” for implementing the same policy they fiercely protested against during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Call for Public Apology
Elemeforo directly addressed President Tinubu, who was a prominent figure in the 2012 “Occupy Nigeria” protests against Jonathan’s attempt to remove the subsidy.
“People like Tinubu that protested against oil subsidy need to publicly apologize to President Goodluck Jonathan for implementing what they earlier criticized,” Elemeforo stated, arguing that the party is now “guilty of the same issues” it used to campaign against Jonathan.
He emphasized that the APC’s current actions validate Jonathan’s initial position on the necessity of removing the costly subsidy.
Loss of Confidence in Tinubu’s Administration
The Bayelsa Assembly Deputy Chief Whip also used the opportunity to express his complete lack of faith in the current government’s ability to solve Nigeria’s economic problems.
“I do not believe that the APC is a solution to Nigeria’s problem, and I do not have faith in the Tinubu-led APC government,” he declared.
PDP as the ‘Better Alternative’
Addressing the recent waves of political defections in the country, Elemeforo affirmed his commitment to the PDP, asserting that his conviction remains unshaken. He maintained that the PDP has a greater capability and capacity to reposition the country and provide a superior alternative to the ruling party.
His comments underscore the deep ideological divisions and historical resentments shaping the political landscape as the APC navigates the harsh economic consequences of the reforms it inherited and enacted.
