Dr. Kayode Fayemi, a former Governor of Ekiti State, has suggested that the protests that erupted following the removal of fuel subsidy during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in 2012 were primarily driven by political interests. Fayemi made these remarks during a keynote address delivered at a national dialogue organized to celebrate the 60th birthday of Professor Udenta Udenta, the founding National Secretary of Alliance for Democracy and a Fellow at the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought.
The event was attended by former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Minister of Education Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Aviation Osita Chidoka, and other prominent figures.
On January 1, 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan announced the removal of fuel subsidy and an increase in the pump price of petrol from N65 per liter to N141, which triggered widespread protests known as ‘Occupy Nigeria’ in major cities across the country. After more than a week of protests, the price was reduced to N97 and later further reduced to N87 in 2015.
Fayemi criticized the “winners take all” approach in Nigeria’s democracy and advocated for proportional representation in the political system. He argued that the challenges facing the nation cannot be resolved unless the country adopts a system where the distribution of political power is more proportional to the results of elections, rather than being monopolized by the winning party.
Furthermore, Fayemi remarked that the last period of significant economic development in Nigeria occurred during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. This statement is part of the ongoing discourse on Nigeria’s economic and political history.
Fayemi’s call for proportional representation reflects a growing debate in Nigeria’s political landscape about the need for electoral reforms and changes to the political system to address governance challenges and promote inclusivity in decision-making.