The Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has described President Bola Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy as an act of “extraordinary statesmanship” rather than a political calculation for re-election.
Gbajabiamila spoke on Saturday at the 2025 Southern Summit of former legislators held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, with the theme “National Unity: Bedrock of Nation Building.”
The event drew top political figures, including former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former House Speaker Yakubu Dogara, former House Speaker Patricia Etteh, the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Bashiru, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, and Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly Oludaisi Elemide.
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Gbajabiamila, who convened the summit, stated that Tinubu made it clear from the outset that his administration would not shy away from implementing tough reforms. He highlighted the removal of fuel subsidies, tax reforms, and the creation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as bold steps taken in the interest of Nigeria’s long-term stability.
“These are not the actions of a politician thinking about the next election. They are acts of extraordinary statesmanship by a leader whose highest concern is the fortune of the Nigerian people and the fate of the next generation,” he said.
While admitting that the reforms have imposed temporary hardship, he urged Nigerians to be patient, stressing that “fixing what has long been broken imposes costs, entails sacrifice and takes time.”
In his contribution, Dogara cautioned against what he called “pretenders” who thrive on distraction and vengeance, warning Nigerians not to lose focus on the bigger picture of unity and nation-building.
