President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revived the “Half Pay” moniker associated with former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, while criticizing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027.
Tinubu made these remarks on Thursday while receiving the governor of Osun State. Ademola Adeleke at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, just days after Adeleke clinched victory in the August 15 gubernatorial election.
“In your state, I know a man I raised who goes by the nickname half-pay,” the president said.
The president was referring to Aregbesola, who governed Osun State between 2010 and 2018 and was previously a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a close ally of Tinubu.
Aregbesola, who is now the leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), became associated with the “Half Pay” label during his tenure after the Osun government faced difficulties in paying full salaries to civil servants.
Tinubu mentioned the nickname while responding to Atiku’s position on fuel subsidy, describing the former vice president’s proposal as evidence of what he called a lack of understanding of governance and economics.
“I saw one of my opponents (Atiku Abubakar) say now that he will go back to subsidies. I read it,” Tinubu said.
“That is a demonstration of serious ignorance in governance and economics. Before I came here, 27 states could not pay salaries, let alone talk about pensioners and workers’ salaries.”
Tinubu, who eliminated the gasoline subsidy after taking office in May 2023, has consistently defended the policy, arguing that ending the subsidy would free up funds for infrastructure and other public services.
He said the previous subsidy system had left several state governments dependent on financial support from the Federal Government due to their inability to meet salaries and other obligations.
“They come to the federal government, covering their hand, without being able to do anything. The salary that is paid for each family. They were in the local governments.
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“They are in the states. We are in the concentration of the population. They are in the states.”
According to the president, money previously committed to subsidizing gasoline could go toward roads, housing, schools, hospitals and health care.
“Let’s remove the president. We have all the other people. Ask the common men, their families, to feed the infrastructure that they undertake in the road network, housing, rehabilitation of schools, hospitals, pronouncements on health care, revival of health care, training of teachers, training of health workers to protect our vulnerable families,” he said.
Atiku has called for a review of the subsidy policy as part of his criticism of the Tinubu administration’s handling of the economy.
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