ATIKU ACCUSES TINUBU OF COPYING FUEL SUBSIDY PROPOSAL

By ‘Sefiu Ajape

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of adopting his proposal for a targeted subsidy on locally refined petrol, despite the Federal Government’s earlier objections to the idea.

Atiku described the government’s newly announced 30-day fuel discount as temporary relief that would do little to address the rising cost of living, insisting that Nigerians needed a sustainable intervention to reduce petrol prices and ease transportation, food and business costs.

He spoke in Abuja on Friday during the inauguration of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, where the opposition party outlined its economic proposals ahead of the 2027 general election.

The former Vice-President argued that the government’s decision to introduce a temporary fuel discount showed it had recognised the need for intervention in the petrol market. He also demanded an apology from Tinubu over the policy.

“Bola, your 30-day discount is a sugar rush masquerading as economic policy: a fleeting taste of relief at the pump, followed by the same brutal crash when the month ends.

“You copied my production subsidy proposal, stripped away the part that makes it work, and handed Nigerians a 30-day discount; where is the rest of the answer?” he asked.

The Federal Government had announced that petrol sold through Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited retail outlets would be discounted for an initial 30 days, with priority given to public transport operators.

However, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the arrangement was not a return to fuel subsidy but a framework for the NNPC to sell petrol at cost during the period.

Atiku argued that Nigerians would continue to face the same economic pressures after the discount expired, questioning whether the government had guaranteed that the intervention would translate into lower transport fares and reduced business costs.

He proposed a targeted and budgeted production subsidy for petroleum products refined in Nigeria and sold to Nigerians, with spending capped and independently audited.

“Families cannot plan their meals around a temporary discount, transporters cannot set stable fares on it, and businesses cannot invest or plan for the future on it.

“My alternative is clear: support petroleum products actually refined in Nigeria and sold to Nigerians, cap the support, put it in the budget, audit it independently, exclude imports, and show the public what it costs and what they save,” he said.

Atiku said the proposal would support domestic refining while helping to lower fuel prices and the cost of transportation and other essential goods.

He also urged Tinubu to take responsibility for the economic consequences of his administration’s policies rather than continue to blame previous governments.

“You are the President; the petrol price is your problem, the collapsing purchasing power is your problem, and the shops closing under the weight of fuel and power costs are your problem—take responsibility for the country you govern,” he said.

The former Vice-President said his proposed economic agenda would also address food affordability, electricity supply, job creation, agricultural security and the business environment.

He urged members of the campaign council to take the party’s message to markets, motor parks, farms, campuses and communities, explaining how its proposals would be funded and implemented.

“Another four years of Bola Tinubu means another four years of hunger, hardship, and national decline,” Atiku added.

Earlier, ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, formally inaugurated the Presidential Campaign Council and urged its members to present Nigerians with an alternative to the current administration.

Mark said the party’s responsibility went beyond winning the election, stressing the need to demonstrate how its policies would improve citizens’ lives.

“Our task is therefore bigger than winning an election. Our task is to present Nigerians with a credible alternative and give them the reason to believe and trust that the essence of governance is to protect them and make their lives better,” he said.

The former Senate President called for an issue-based campaign focused on the economy, security, employment, education, healthcare, infrastructure, the rule of law and opportunities for young Nigerians.

He also urged the campaign council to engage traditional rulers, religious leaders, workers, farmers, traders, professionals, students, women and persons with disabilities.

Mark cautioned party members against violence and political hostility, insisting that the campaign must comply with the law. He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission and other relevant institutions to ensure that the 2027 elections were transparent, impartial and free from intimidation.

The Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Austin Akobundu, said the campaign would focus on the everyday challenges facing households, workers, entrepreneurs and farmers.

Akobundu said an Atiku administration would introduce targeted, budgeted support for locally refined petrol from its first day in office.

He also outlined proposals to review the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, pursue student debt forgiveness, improve security around farmlands, expand farmers’ access to credit and strengthen local food processing.

Other priorities include electricity sector reforms, improved access to financing for young entrepreneurs and women, restoring the eastern maritime port corridor to full operational capacity, and implementing the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.

Akobundu said the party would also reform public budgeting and implementation to ensure government spending translated into measurable benefits.

“Public money must produce public services. Budgets must be implemented within their fiscal years, and Nigerians must be able to see what their money has delivered,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, called for a change of government in 2027, citing economic hardship, insecurity, rising public debt and unemployment.

“Let no one mistake this gathering for a ceremony. We have not come here to collect titles. We have come here to begin a rescue,” Ibrahim-Imam said.

He urged party members to mobilise voters nationwide and encouraged eligible Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the election through lawful means.

The ADC is positioning Atiku’s proposed production subsidy and broader economic reforms as alternatives to Tinubu’s policies. The party’s proposal would require it to demonstrate how the plan could be implemented within the existing legal and fiscal framework and how its costs and benefits would be monitored.

The Tinubu administration had previously questioned the legal, fiscal and operational basis of Atiku’s production-subsidy proposal, citing provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act governing petroleum pricing. The government has maintained that the newly announced 30-day discount does not constitute a return to conventional fuel subsidy.