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Senator Ben Murray-Bruce

Former Bayelsa State Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has rejected the proposal by African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to restore Nigeria’s fuel subsidy, arguing that the policy would revive the corruption and inefficiencies associated with the scheme.

Murray-Bruce instead urged state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to deploy state-funded transport subsidies to reduce the pressure of rising fares on Nigerians.

He made the position known in a statement made available to journalists, where he argued that the solution to the hardship created by higher transport costs was not a return to petrol subsidy but targeted support for commuters.

“Atiku Abubakar is wrong. Bringing back the fuel subsidy is not the answer. We tried it for forty years. It made a few men billionaires, it fed smugglers at our borders, and it never once put money in the pocket of the woman selling tomatoes by the roadside,” he said.

Murray-Bruce commended President Bola Tinubu for ending the petrol subsidy, describing the decision as difficult but necessary.

He also pointed to increased allocations to state governments following the removal of the subsidy, arguing that states should now use their improved finances to protect residents from the impact of higher transportation costs.

READ ALSO: APC Constitutes 2027 Presidential Campaign Council

“Mr President, you have done well. Removing the subsidy was hard, and you did it. You have also sent far more money to the states than any President before you. The Federal Government has done its part. Now the states must do theirs,” he said.

According to the former lawmaker, transport within individual states falls primarily under the responsibility of state governments.

“Subsidising transport inside a state is the job of that state government. It is not the job of the President. It has never been his job. It is not his job today. It will not be his job tomorrow,” he stated.

Murray-Bruce proposed a four-point transport intervention aimed at making movement more affordable for Nigerians without reversing the fuel subsidy policy.

Under his proposal, students should be allowed to travel to and from school free of charge, while intra-city journeys should have a maximum fare of ₦500.

He further suggested that smaller cities and towns should operate lower fare ceilings based on local conditions.

Rather than requiring governments to establish new transport companies or purchase fleets of buses, he advocated a system that would support existing commercial transport operators.

The former senator argued that such an approach would provide immediate relief to commuters while allowing state governments to use existing transport networks.

His comments add a fresh dimension to the political debate over fuel subsidy, with competing camps increasingly presenting different approaches to addressing the cost-of-living pressures facing Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Traffic NG
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce
Amarachi Ihesiulo
The Traffic NG

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