The ADC presidential candidate says his position on restoring fuel subsidy remains unchanged, insisting Nigeria can afford to protect citizens from rising living costs
Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has firmly reaffirmed his Atiku subsidy plan to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027, after distancing himself from comments by one of his media aides.
Also read: ADC chieftain Fabiyi defends Atiku over fuel subsidy reversal
Atiku made the clarification in Abuja on Tuesday while receiving the Osun State leadership of the ADC, insisting that the aide had not spoken with his authority. (Vanguard News)
“Earlier, one of my Press Aides contradicted me in a policy statement as far as subsidy is concerned.
I want to repeat categorically that when I said I would return to Subsidy, I will! Nigeria is rich enough to look after the welfare of its citizens. Let it be clearly stated that he was not speaking on my own authority!” Atiku said. (Vanguard News)
The intervention followed remarks by Paul Ibe, one of Atiku’s media aides, who had suggested during an interview that an Atiku administration would restore petrol subsidy temporarily and eventually phase it out.
Ibe had also sought to distinguish the proposed policy from the former subsidy regime, saying the intervention would be linked to Nigeria’s crude oil resources and domestic refining rather than a return to the previous system of subsidising imported petrol. (TheNiche)
Atiku, however, made clear that his own position was not subject to that qualification.
In a separate statement, the former vice-president said his position on subsidy “has not changed and will not change”, arguing that the policy should help cushion Nigerians against rising fuel, transport and food costs. (Vanguard News)
“I believe the wealth of a nation is not measured by how much government collects, but by how much the money in the pockets of its people can buy,” Atiku said.
He argued that higher petrol prices feed into transportation costs, which in turn affect the prices of food and other essential goods.
“When fuel rises, transport rises. When transport rises, food rises. When food rises, families suffer,” he said. (Vanguard News)
Atiku said his proposed intervention would therefore focus on restoring purchasing power, supporting local production and reducing energy costs.
His Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, subsequently clarified that the proposal was not intended to revive Nigeria’s old import subsidy system.
Shaibu described the earlier characterisation as an “unauthorised, imprecise and materially misleading” description of Atiku’s position.
He said the proposed intervention would be targeted, capped, transparently funded and independently audited, with support directed towards domestic refining and production. (The Narrative Force)
The subsidy debate has become an increasingly prominent issue ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
President Bola Tinubu removed petrol subsidy shortly after assuming office on May 29, 2023.
The decision triggered a sharp increase in petrol prices and contributed to wider concerns over the cost of transportation, food and household necessities.
The Federal Government has defended the removal as necessary to reduce the burden of subsidy on public finances, while Atiku has argued that the savings have not translated sufficiently into improved living conditions for Nigerians.
The presidency has already criticised Atiku’s proposal, describing the proposed restoration of subsidy as a backward step and questioning its economic sustainability. (State House)
Atiku, meanwhile, has presented the policy as part of a broader economic programme aimed at making everyday life more affordable.
He said his administration would seek to make the naira more valuable in the hands of citizens, help farmers reduce transportation costs and create conditions for businesses to expand and employ more workers.
“That is why I will restore targeted subsidy and put purchasing power back in the hands of Nigerians,” he said. (Vanguard News)
The disagreement between Atiku and his aide has nevertheless highlighted the importance of clearly defining the mechanics of the proposed intervention, particularly how it would be funded and how long it would remain in place.
For Atiku, the political message is now unequivocal: he intends to campaign for the restoration of subsidy as a means of providing relief to Nigerians, while his campaign maintains that the proposed model would be substantially different from the old import-driven system.
Also read: Atiku hits back at Tinubu in fresh fuel subsidy clash
The issue is likely to remain a contentious part of the 2027 election debate as political parties present competing approaches to Nigeria’s energy policy, public finances and cost-of-living crisis.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
