Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has said an Atiku Abubakar-led government would reduce the cost of fuel, food and transportation within its first year in office.

Amaechi made the claim on Friday while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed the economic hardship facing Nigerians and outlined some of the measures he said the ADC would pursue if elected in 2027.

He argued that the removal of petrol and electricity subsidies under President Bola Tinubu’s administration had contributed to higher living costs, particularly through increased transportation and food prices.

Amaechi said Atiku had pledged to reintroduce subsidy measures, but clarified that the ADC’s proposal was not a return to the previous consumer subsidy arrangement.

“The greatest asset you have is that the presidential candidate has said, I will bring back subsidy,” Amaechi said, explaining that the party was proposing a production subsidy rather than the former consumer subsidy regime.

According to him, the proposed approach would help bring down the cost of fuel and, by extension, ease pressure on transportation and food prices.

“If Atiku brings back subsidy, everything will come down,” he said.

Amaechi also criticised the current electricity tariff structure, citing his personal electricity bill as an example of the financial pressure he said households were facing. He claimed that his bill had increased from about N500,000 to N4m and said Atiku’s proposed subsidy policy would reduce the burden.

The ADC chieftain further linked rising transportation and food costs to the removal of petrol subsidy, arguing that higher fuel prices had increased the cost of moving people and agricultural products.

He also raised concerns about insecurity, education and access to farmland, while criticising the Federal Government’s handling of the economy.

Amaechi said his decision to participate in the 2027 presidential contest was driven by what he described as his understanding of Nigeria’s challenges and his belief that the country’s problems could be addressed.

The former Rivers State governor also expressed confidence in the ADC’s prospects in the 2027 election, saying the party would defeat President Tinubu if it appeared on the ballot. That statement represents Amaechi’s political assessment rather than an established election outcome.