Atiku’s fuel subsidy and Tinubu’s church rat, By Bolaji Abdullahi

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has clarified his stance on a proposed petroleum intervention in Nigeria, dispelling misconceptions that his policy would involve reverting to the controversial import-subsidy regime. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku emphasized that his plan is targeted support for domestic production aimed at reducing the cost of living for Nigerians.

Shaibu rejected comments suggesting that an Atiku administration would "restore fuel subsidy and remove it later," describing these remarks as "unauthorized, imprecise, and misleading" and stressing that only the candidate can define his policy. Atiku's proposal involves a "targeted, capped, transparently budgeted, and independently audited subsidy" for domestic refining and production, with clear exit conditions from day one.

As production within the country grows, the intervention would become progressively unnecessary, according to Shaibu. The real issue, he argued, is not whether subsidy is removed or restored, but how Atiku plans to make life more affordable in Nigeria. He attributed the high cost of living to the shock of recent reforms under the current administration and promised to reduce production and transportation costs, strengthen domestic refining, and restore purchasing power.