Renowned Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has thrown his weight behind President Bola Tinubu economic policies, describing the removal of petrol subsidy as an inevitable measure to rescue the nation from a total fiscal collapse, OBSERVERS TIMES report
Speaking during an appearance on PAPShow, the Kaduna-based cleric dismissed opposition attacks on the administration’s economic trajectory, maintaining that the fundamental structure of the reforms is sound and already showing signs of macroeconomic recovery.
Gumi’s endorsement marks a striking shift for a preacher long known for his scathing critiques of federal policies, particularly on national security and northern welfare.
Addressing calls by opposition figures—including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar—to reinstate the fuel subsidy, Gumi warned that doing so without first crushing systemic corruption in the energy sector would achieve nothing.
“Bringing back subsidies without addressing endemic corruption would amount to throwing money into a well,” Gumi said, arguing that the previous arrangement had become financially unsustainable for the nation’s treasury.
He noted that global financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have acknowledged the structural necessity of Nigeria’s policy direction. However, Gumi cautioned that macro-level gains should not obscure the acute suffering of ordinary Nigerians grappling with a soaring cost of living.
While upholding the necessity of the reforms, the cleric urged the Federal Government to immediately expand social safety nets, cushion vulnerable households, and ensure that savings realized from the subsidy removal are transparently deployed to improve public welfare.
