Wike: Tinubu had the guts to end petrol subsidy — past leaders lacked the will

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says President Bola Tinubu demonstrated rare courage by removing the petrol subsidy on his first day in office.

Wike spoke on Thursday during the 2025 distinguished personality lecture held at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun state.

The lecture was titled “The Nigeria of Our Dreams”.

The FCT minister said Tinubu’s action distinguished him from past leaders, who, according to him, only paid lip service to subsidy removal.

“Leaders before him all spoke about the evil of fuel subsidy, but none had the courage to dare the blackmail of removing it,” Wike said.

“Tinubu did and is fittingly grappling with the inevitable, unintended and sometimes orchestrated consequences of this removal.

“Today, our states have far more resources to develop, the debts are no longer piling, and the price of petrol is gradually but steadily adjusting downwards in tandem with the forces of demand and supply and the strict implementation of regulatory conditionalities.”

‘NIGERIA’S MAIN PROBLEM IS BAD LEADERSHIP’

Wike said Nigeria’s biggest problem remains bad leadership.

He referenced Chinua Achebe’s The Trouble with Nigeria, noting that the absence of proper leadership remains the country’s undoing.

“This statement, damaging as it may appear, is extremely difficult to controvert,” he said.

“Our leaders have, in the main, emerged through self-serving conspiracies that have little or nothing to do with national interests and development. This has been the case in both military and civilian contexts.”

He said Tinubu has stood out as a leader with character, vision and resilience.

Wike described the president as someone who makes informed, proactive and logical decisions with the courage to act and the audacity to lead.

“The leader we need must believe in the infinite possibilities that Nigeria exemplifies while taking solid, proactive, logical and well-informed decisions that would maximally actualise her potential,” he said.

“This leader must have the courage and audacity to act, build, innovate and generally expand the frontiers of development with a hands-on approach that would emphasise excellence over mediocrity.”

He said Tinubu’s track record in Lagos and his commitment to democracy make him fit for the job.

“He has shown in several ways and at different times a stout commitment to the enthronement of democracy in our country, to the extent of even putting his own life on the line in the process,” he said.

“He has shown great capacity for engendering development, as captured in the unprecedented rapid and exponential development of Lagos state under his watch and even beyond.”

‘TRUE FEDERALISM BEING RESTORED’

Wike also referred to Tinubu’s moves to decentralise power and promote regional development.

“The overwhelming cry of over-centralisation of power and resources at the national level and the attendant abuse of the doctrine of federalism are being systematically addressed,” he said.

“This is being addressed through the creation of zonal/regional commissions empowered to devolve developmental impetus to the respective zones and regions so that power can truly return to the people.”

On security, he said Tinubu is investing in the training and retraining of personnel.

He said the approval of forest guard recruitment is a major step in dismantling the safe havens of bandits and terrorists.

“Bandits and terrorists would no longer find incubation points and free territories to operate,” he said.

“Put simply, the era of banditry and terrorism would soon come to an end.”

He said all these actions reflect Tinubu’s resolve to reposition Nigeria for progress.