The Senator Representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, Olu Adetumbi, has berated President Goodluck Jonathan for removing the subsidy on fuel at a time the Senate was still investigating the fraud that characterised the petroleum sector.

Adetumbi, who is a leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ekiti State and Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti via e-mail on Wednesday, accused the President of preempting the outcome of the investigation of the lawmakers.

He said the removal of the subsidy on fuel lacked integrity.

Describing the action as callous, he that the President announced the commencement of the policy as the nation nursed pains of the Boko Haram's terror.

The lawmaker added that the President ought to have stayed action on the policy pending the outcome of the Senate investigation.

The statement read, “In total disregard to the on-going consultative process of the Senate to dig deep into the fiscal challenges of fuel subsidy to the economy, the FGN has brusquely gone ahead with the removal of petroleum subsidy with effect from January 1, 2012.

“With a failed attempt to argue with facts and figures and persuade the country, the president acted peremptorily and made nonsense, the effort of the Senate to get to the bottom of the perennial fraud of subsidy management which the senate committee on petroleum is trying to unearth.

He said the sudden removal of subsidy was contrary to earlier affirmations made by the President and the Minister of Finance that the policy was undergoing review and that consultation was ongoing with an indicative date of April 2012 as the likely time of implementation.

Adetumbi said, “In a manner totally lacking in honour and integrity that is expected of an elected government, the FG sprung a New Year's day surprise on a nation already reeling under the brutal onslaught of Boko Haram and a worsening human development indices.

“This Senate has been sidelined in this decision and its collective mandate as the representatives of the people thoroughly rubbished.

“The constitutional roles of the legislature is gradually being eroded by a President that has the temerity to spend over N800bn on subsidy outside the appropriation act during the yet-to-end 2011 budget.”

The Senator added, “The NASS and the people have asked questions and request for explanations for this constitutional infraction to which the President was yet to provide any answers.
“It will undermine the independence of the Senate and erode the potency of its oversight functions. This invitation is a contemptuous act of impudence aimed at a tactical erosion of the constitutional role of the legislature.”