The 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has clarified his stance on the fuel subsidy following comments made by one of his media aides, Paul Ibe.
Ibe had stated during an appearance on AIT on Tuesday that Atiku would not permanently return Nigeria to the former fuel subsidy regime if elected president in 2027.
According to the media aide, any restoration of the subsidy would only be temporary, as Atiku’s administration would eventually phase it out.
He explained that the proposed policy would focus on making better use of Nigeria’s crude oil resources to support local refining and ultimately reduce the price of petroleum products.
“We are not returning to Egypt. We are not going back to the old regime that was opaque,” Ibe said.
However, speaking at a meeting with stakeholders hours after Ibe’s television appearance, Atiku distanced himself from the comments, stressing that the aide was not speaking on his behalf.
The former vice president maintained that his administration would fully restore the fuel subsidy if he is elected president.
Atiku argued that Nigeria has enough resources to cater to the welfare of its citizens through the provision of fuel subsidy.
He further blamed the removal of the subsidy for worsening the economic situation in the country and plunging more Nigerians into extreme poverty.
Atiku said, “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 the fuel 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. The removal of fuel subsidy has driven more Nigerians into poverty than at any other time in the history of this country.”
BACKSTORY:
The debate over fuel subsidy has remained a major political and economic issue in Nigeria since President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the subsidy in May 2023. The decision led to a sharp increase in petrol prices and transportation costs, contributing to rising living expenses and economic hardship for many Nigerians. As the 2027 presidential election approaches, Atiku Abubakar has emerged as one of the political figures criticising the subsidy removal and promising to restore it if elected.
