Atiku rejects FG’s 30-day fuel discount, says it offers no lasting relief

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed the Federal Government's proposed 30-day fuel discount at NNPC stations, asserting that it offers no lasting relief from the escalating costs of fuel, transportation, and food. The announcement, made by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication at the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, came in response to the government's 30-day margin discount on petrol dispensed by NNPC Limited, which prioritized public transporters.

Atiku criticized the temporary measure, stating that it merely addresses the immediate pressures of higher fuel prices without tackling the broader challenges Nigerians have faced following the withdrawal of petrol subsidy. He questioned the sustainability of the discount post-30 days, predicting that fuel prices, transport fares, and food costs would revert to previous levels once the intervention ends.

Atiku also raised concerns about the limited scope of the intervention, which is confined to NNPC stations, and queried the government's plans regarding the financial savings for motorists per liter or the guarantee that transport operators would pass on these savings to passengers via reduced fares. He framed the discount as a political response to ongoing hardship, emphasizing that the government's approach reflects years of citizens enduring higher fuel and living costs before any temporary relief was introduced.

Atiku proposed an alternative solution involving capped and budgeted production support specifically tied to domestically refined petrol, arguing that his plan, unlike the government's temporary subsidy-style measures, offers a more sustainable and consumer-focused approach. He maintained that long-term strategies, such as promoting domestic refining over subsidizing imported petrol, are essential for reducing fuel-related expenses and urged the government to explore mechanisms beyond temporary relief.