“Bribes Now Paid in Dollars”: Falana Alleges in Trending Interview, Advises Tinubu on Fuel Subsidy
by Esther Odili, https://www.facebook.com/legitngnews · Legit.ng News · Join- President Bola Tinubu was heavily criticised over his decision to remove fuel subsidy, as Femi Falana SAN made fresh allegations
- In a trending interview on Sunday, Falana faulted Tinubu's decision, particularly "gifting footballers cash in foreign currency"
- The senior lawyer alleged that the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are in charge of Nigeria’s economic direction
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Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidy.
Subsidy removal: Falana faults Tinubu's decision
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, September 14, Falana insisted that the policy has worsened hardship and was a grave economic blunder.
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The legal luminary, who was a key voice during the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests against subsidy removal under former president Goodluck Jonathan, insisted that Tinubu’s policy has only deepened hardship instead of providing relief.
During the interview, Falana reminded Nigerians that the subsidy debate was not new but one tied to decades of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank prescriptions that have often left developing countries poorer.
“I have always been against fuel subsidy removal since 2012. No country in the world has abolished or removed subsidies completely.
“Even leading Western countries, like the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, and others, subsidise electricity, agriculture, and many aspects of the lives of their people,” he said.
Dollarisation: Nigeria urged to join BRICS
Speaking further, Falana accused IMF and the World Bank of dictating Nigeria’s economic direction, including subsidy removal and naira devaluation, urging Tinubu to chart a more independent path.
According to him, the unpopular decision has created social tension across Nigeria.
Buttressing his point, the activist also condemned the growing dollarisation of Nigeria’s economy, faulting President Tinubu’s recent practice of gifting footballers cash in foreign currency.
As a way out, Falana encouraged the government to consider joining BRICS as a full member, saying the bloc provides better opportunities to reduce dependence on the dollar and Western financial institutions.
“So, we must promote the Naira, strengthen the Naira, against the dollar, because the Naira is the legal tender, and not the dollar. It’s a criminal offence, to reject the Naira. It’s a criminal offence, under the Central Bank Act Section 20.
“So, unless you stop people paying dollars, school fees in dollars, properties are being sold in dollars, bills in dollars, then I can say, bribes, bribes are now paid in dollars,” Falana said.
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2027: “Why Tinubu removed subsidy,” Gbajabiamila speaks
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, defended President Tinubu's harsh reforms.
At an event in Ogun state over the weekend, Gbajabiamila said Tinubu removed fuel subsidy and initiated bold reforms in the interest of Nigerians.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.