Northern group, the Arewa Youth Forum, on Sunday in Kaduna, warned against the politicisation of the planned fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.The AYF stated that rather than address the real issues regarding the planned fuel subsidy removal, the Federal Government and those who claimed to know better had been playing to the gallery at the expense of the masses.The group also expressed dismay over the political colouration given to other sensitive national issues, including the security challenges confronting the country. The AYF, in a communique issued at the end of its quarterly meeting in Kaduna on Sunday and jointly signed by its National President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gunjugu, and National Secretary, Mr. Samuel Ade, argued that the raging controversy between the Federal Government and the opposition groups over the planned fuel subsidy removal had made it imperative that Nigerians were intimated with "the objective and reality" of the proposed policy.The group argued that rather than playing politics with the issue and creating unnecessary tension in the country, both the Federal Government and the opposition camps must discuss in a constructive manner to enable the ordinary Nigerians to have a deeper understanding of the matter.The AYF therefore appealed to both the government and the opposition to demonstrate sincerity in their campaigns for and against the proposed fuel subsidy removal. ''''''The groups communique reads: "The State of the Nation is tensed up, with the insecurity becoming more complicated and the stability of our country increasingly challenging."We have also noted with utter dismay and utmost disappointment how sensitive issues i.e. fuel subsidy, security challenges, among others are not truthfully discussed and critiqued or even applauded, but are rather criticized and toyed with for some political reasons to the detriment of the future of Nigerians, particularly those of the poor class without a thorough or comprehensive understanding of proposed sensitive policies as they affect them."The ongoing firing of salvo for and against fuel subsidy removal has clearly proved that Nigerians need to know the objective and reality of the proposed policy and not an outright manipulation, polarization, politicking, unnecessary and unwarranted artificial tensions in the country. "We have recently witnessed how the confusion has gripped even our religious organisations, and set in a cold war and an outpour of invectives. It is based on the foregoing that the AYF resolves as follows:"Politicisation of the fuel subsidy matter/debate will not augur well for Nigeria."Both sides fighting for the soul of Nigeria and claiming to be concerned with our welfare must be genuine, sincere, and honest because morality of the highest order is the backbone of any struggle or adventure for freedom and emancipation."Federal Government and their opposing rivals should know that Nigerians particularly (illiterates) who are the majority in this country, deserve accurate, truthful and objective reality of the fuel subsidy debate.
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