Fuel Subsidy: Nigeria no longer father Christmas to neighbouring countries - President Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has said that the Nigeria will no longer feed smugglers and be Father Christmas to neighbouring countries.

Speaking on the fuel subsidy removal, Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information in the State House, in a statement quoted President Tinubu to have promised to improve security, create jobs, and sustain the environment as well as the forthcoming election of principal officers of the 10th National Assembly.

The President said this during an interactive session with the Royal Fathers under the aegis of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) at the Aso Villa, June 9.

‘‘I am grateful that you are paying attention to what I have been doing. You have paid attention to the subsidy removal. Why should we in good heart and sense, feed smugglers and be Father Christmas to neighbouring countries, even though they say not every day is Christmas? The elephant that was going to bring Nigeria to its knees is the subsidy. A country that cannot pay salaries and we say we have the potential to encourage ourselves. I think we did the right thing,’’ he said.

President Tinubu also vowed to remove an roadblock that will prevent the progress of the country.

‘‘The lamentations about the capital projects, where is the money going to come from if we don’t protect our resources and our boundaries? You cannot have development without capital projects,’’ he added.

He added that he is prepared to work with any elected representative from the National Assembly.

‘‘Nigeria must survive. Nigeria must develop. Nigeria must make progress,’’ he said.