N70,000 Can’t fill a car’s tank, Atiku blasts Tinubu, says 6 Months relief is mockery of workers

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government’s decision to provide public service workers with a monthly transport allowance of ₦70,000, describing the intervention as a desperate attempt to contain public anger over the rising cost of living.

Atiku argued that the measure amounted to an admission that government policies had made life increasingly difficult for millions of Nigerians, insisting that a temporary allowance could not address the country’s wider economic challenges.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, the former vice president said the government was responding to the crisis with successive announcements rather than implementing lasting solutions.

“The Tinubu administration is scrambling from one announcement to another, showing its failure to grasp the crisis. The cost of living crisis reaches beyond transport: energy, food, rent and other essentials affect every part of daily life,” he said.

Atiku noted that the rising cost of energy, food and transportation had affected households and businesses across different sectors, including barbers, restaurant operators, traders and school bus operators.

He questioned why the proposed intervention was limited to public service workers when millions of Nigerians in the private sector, informal economy and unemployed population were also struggling with rising living costs.

“If public service workers receive ₦70,000 monthly for transport from November, what happens to private sector workers, traders, small businesses, transport operators and millions without formal jobs? The public workforce is only a fraction of Nigeria’s population. A temporary allowance for some cannot solve a national crisis,” he said.

The ADC presidential candidate also faulted the unresolved effective date for the implementation of a new minimum wage, urging the Federal Government to clarify eligibility requirements, payment schedules and the timeline for concluding wage negotiations.

He acknowledged that any genuine relief would be welcome but maintained that a six-month transport allowance would not adequately address the economic pressure facing Nigerians.

Using the prevailing petrol price cited in his statement, Atiku argued that ₦70,000 would purchase approximately 50 litres of petrol at ₦1,400 per litre, questioning whether that quantity could provide meaningful relief over an entire month.

“What meaningful difference can 50 litres make over an entire month?” he asked.

Atiku Accuses FG of Offering Temporary Solutions

Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of responding to the consequences of its economic policies with short-term interventions instead of addressing the underlying causes of rising living costs.

“What Nigerians are witnessing is a government that set the house ablaze with its reckless policies, then pretends to fight the inferno by throwing ice cubes at the flames,” he said.

He also criticised previous government interventions, including fuel discounts and a 90-day cost-of-living plan, arguing that they had failed to provide lasting relief.

Atiku further faulted the Federal Government’s compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative, claiming it had not delivered the promised reduction in transportation costs for many Nigerians.

He described the latest announcements as politically motivated and accused the administration of failing to adequately address the consequences of petrol subsidy removal.

However, these criticisms reflect Atiku’s assessment of the government’s economic policies and interventions.

Atiku Proposes Domestic Fuel Subsidy

The former vice president proposed what he described as a transparently managed production subsidy for fuel refined in Nigeria, arguing that the measure could help reduce pump prices and ease pressure on households and businesses.

He maintained that Nigerians should not bear the full burden of economic reforms because of alleged corruption and inefficiencies within the system.

Atiku also urged Tinubu to reconsider policies he believes have worsened economic hardship, saying the government should prioritise sustainable relief rather than temporary financial support.

He stressed that the transport allowance could provide some assistance but would not resolve the broader challenges affecting workers, traders and business owners.

“₦70,000 may help with transport, but it cannot explain why work, food and running a business have become unaffordable. Nigerians need lasting relief, decent wages and an economy that rewards honest work. When will life become affordable again?” he asked.

Atiku said his campaign would pursue policies aimed at lowering the cost of living, increasing household incomes and restoring dignity to work.

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