Naija247news gathered that former Minister of Education and co‑founder of the #FixPolitics Initiative, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, delivered a searing critique of the Tinubu administration’s fuel subsidy removal during a panel session at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association conference in Enugu.
Naija247news understands that Ezekwesili described the policy as “a good reform carried out the wrong way,” stressing that while ending the subsidy was necessary, the abrupt nature of the announcement, “subsidy is gone” lacked adequate preparation or cushioning for vulnerable Nigerians ([Abuja City Journal][1]).
According to Naija247news, she cautioned that the declaration had immediate and dire economic consequences: inflation surged, plunging millions into hardship and leaving the poor with no safety net ([Abuja City Journal][1]). With an alarming 133 million Nigerians already living in poverty, Ezekwesili emphasized that reforms must be rigorously planned and sequenced to protect the most vulnerable ([Abuja City Journal][1].
Naija247news reports that the former minister also called on lawyers and members of the judiciary to resist prebendal politics, the capture of public institutions by political elites, and to uphold the rule of law rather than endorse practices that enrich a political class at the expense of citizens ([Abuja City Journal][1]).
Beyond economic policy, Naija247news gathered that Ezekwesili lamented the erosion of judicial independence, quoting another panelist, George Etomi, who observed that the judiciary “was more independent under the military” and must be shielded from democratic abuses ([Abuja City Journal][1]).
Ezekwesili’s intervention was both urgent and damning, she urged that while the removal of fuel subsidy may have been necessary, the manner of its execution reflects a broader pattern of poorly designed reforms. She called on legal professionals to become guardians of democracy and accountability, rather than enablers of elite to privilege
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Reporting by Agnes Ekebuike Editor, Naija247news in Lagos, Nigeria.
