“Are we deaf and blind?” — Two men clash over impact of petrol subsidy removal, Tinubu’s administration

An argument between two men over fuel subsidy removal and the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s administration on Nigerians has sparked a debate in a viral video.

The two men expressed opposing views on the country’s economic situation, with one defending the need to examine facts about the subsidy policy and government revenue, while the other criticised the administration over the rising cost of living and the hardship faced by Nigerians.

The discussion centred on the previous administration’s handling of fuel subsidy, the distribution of revenue generated from its removal and the responsibility of the federal and state governments to improve citizens’ living conditions.

Man questions state governments over subsidy revenue

One of the men argued that the decision to remove fuel subsidy did not originate with Tinubu’s administration, claiming that the previous government led by former President Muhammadu Buhari had already laid the groundwork for the policy.

He maintained that the Buhari administration failed to implement the measure during its tenure, leaving the responsibility to the succeeding government.

He said: “I’m not trying to support the government, I’m just trying to move with facts, right. The Buhari administration had already taken out subsidy. If you remember the Petroleum Proliferation Act was supposed to come into existence six months after their government and that law itself talked about removal of subsidy.

“But the government of Buhari exhibited cowardice by not implementing it in their government and they brought it over to the next government.”

The man further argued that revenue generated from fuel subsidy removal had been shared among the three tiers of government.

According to him, Nigerians should also hold their respective state governments accountable for how they spend the additional funds received following the policy.

He added: “Then lastly I will say this, right, let’s go online, make research and articulate based on facts. The subsidy removed, the funds that the government generated from subsidy removal today, they have split it between the three tiers of government.

“The question you should be asking is, what is your state government doing with the money they are getting?”

Second man criticises Tinubu’s administration

The other man disagreed with the argument, insisting that Nigerians were experiencing severe economic hardship and that the government should not be shielded from criticism.

He traced the country’s problems to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, but argued that the current administration had failed to deliver on its promises to Nigerians.

He said: “Sometimes we always talk as if we’ve lost our humanity. Before Buhari came, even since Jonathan, this country has been a mess, right.

“Even since Jonathan, the country has been a mess. The last time the country has been a reasonable country was when Ambassador was there. Not really as if Ambassador was even doing something extra like that, right.”

He also recalled how Nigerians had demanded a change of government during Jonathan’s administration, leading to the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which campaigned on promises of better governance.

According to him, political parties should have clear policy directions and plans before seeking public office.

He said: “Jonathan came, everybody was clamouring for change. They got the change which your current president championed. If I was the head of everything that time, they strategised the whole game.

“Meaning that before you can strategise a game with somebody, your party must have a blueprint. You guys must have a philosophy that guides your party. You don’t just belong to any useless party all in the name of you want to play games with people’s life, right.”

Man cites rising cost of living and hardship

The second speaker further accused the APC of failing to fulfil its promises after spending eight years in power under Buhari before Tinubu succeeded him in 2023.

He argued that instead of improving the lives of Nigerians, the current administration had worsened the economic situation, pointing to the rising cost of transportation, difficulties faced by businesses and the growing desire among citizens to leave the country.

He said: “You came on board with APC, Buhari did his tenure, then you came in promising people the same promise that you have wasted the whole eight years to do. Then you came in four years, you are not able to do anything but rather to increase the suffering of the masses.

“People are dying every day. People cannot travel by road, even by flight. The cost and everything is too high. People cannot do business again.”

He also lamented that many Nigerians were struggling to find opportunities to thrive in their own country, arguing that the government’s explanations for the economic situation did not adequately address the suffering of ordinary citizens.

The man questioned why some Nigerians continued to defend the administration despite the difficulties many people were facing.

He said: “The country, people are looking for a way out as if they were not born here, as if this place is not where they should thrive, right. Now you are now giving a series of excuses for these people. It is unimaginable that people can still be giving excuses for these people.

“Are we not seeing things with our eyes? Are we deaf? Are we blind?

“Don’t you go to school? Just simple reasoning logic, even two plus two, to be able to understand that these people just don’t have humanity in them and they just want to suffer the masses. This is not a rocket science.”

Watch the video here…

“After Seeing Nigerians Suffer, People Dying From Hunger And Insecurity, The High Cost Of Living And Soaring Fuel Prices Under This Government, Yet You’re Still Defending Tinubu. Where Is Your Humanity?”. pic.twitter.com/BgQubdfPfC

— Somto Okonkwo (@General_Somto) October 14, 2026