I’ll restore targeted fuel subsidy to make life easy for Nigerians’, not feed Tinubu, friends – Atiku

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has clarified his position on fuel subsidy, insisting that his proposed intervention would be targeted, capped and designed to reduce the cost of living for Nigerians.

Atiku said his proposal should not be mistaken for a return to the former petroleum import-subsidy regime, which he described as discredited.

His Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday, following comments attributed to another member of Atiku’s media team, Paul Ibe, suggesting that an Atiku administration would restore fuel subsidy and later remove it.

Shaibu described the comments as an “unauthorised, imprecise and materially misleading characterisation” of Atiku’s position.

He stressed that policy positions belong to the candidate and that spokespersons are expected to communicate them accurately.

According to him, Atiku is not proposing a return to the old import-subsidy regime or a predetermined date for its withdrawal.

Instead, he said the former vice president is proposing a targeted and capped intervention that would be transparently budgeted and independently audited, with measurable conditions for its eventual exit.

“What Atiku proposes is a targeted, capped, transparently budgeted and independently audited subsidy that supports domestic refining and production, with measurable exit conditions built in from day one,” Shaibu said.

He explained that the intervention would gradually become unnecessary as domestic refining expands, fuel supply stabilises, competition increases and the market becomes capable of delivering affordable prices without government support.

“There is no arbitrary withdrawal date,” he added.

Using an analogy, Shaibu said: “You do not remove scaffolding because the calendar says so. You remove it when the building can stand securely on its own.”

He argued that the focus should be on how to reduce the burden of rising prices on Nigerian households rather than on arguments over whether the policy should be described as a subsidy.

“The real question is simple: Why has everything become so expensive, and what will Atiku do to make life affordable again?” he said.

Shaibu accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of transferring the impact of its economic reforms to Nigerian families, while promising that Atiku would pursue policies aimed at reducing production and transportation costs.

He said an Atiku administration would focus on strengthening domestic refining, lowering costs and restoring household purchasing power.

“Tinubu transferred the shock of his reforms to Nigerian families. Atiku will reduce production and transportation costs, strengthen domestic refining, and restore purchasing power,” he stated.

He added: “The choice is not removal of subsidy versus restoration of subsidy. It is Expensive Nigeria versus Affordable Nigeria.”

Atiku’s clarification comes amid renewed political debate over the future of petrol subsidy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with opposition figures offering differing positions on the policy that was removed by Tinubu shortly after he assumed office in 2023.

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