Fuel discount: Atiku accuses Tinubu of turning NNPCL into campaign money cashier

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of using the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as a "campaign money cashier." Atiku made this claim in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, questioning whether NNPCL is still operating as a commercial company or if it has become a tool for political gain.

The former Vice President accused Tinubu of turning a petrol discount into a political spectacle, insisting that Nigerians should ask who is responsible for ordering NNPC Limited to surrender its profit margin. He criticized Tinubu for claiming credit for the discount without providing board approval, the cost, or the account that would carry it. Atiku questioned the government's role in exercising its shareholder rights through proper corporate channels or treating NNPCL as a drawer of campaign funds.

Atiku highlighted the narrow network of NNPC Retail stations, with just over 900 locations for a country of 242 million people, raising concerns about accessibility for motorists. He emphasized that the administration's proposal for a 30-day fuel price discount is not a subsidy, stressing that changing the name of a cost does not make it disappear.

The announcement of the discount has sparked reactions among Nigerians struggling with the high cost of living, with petrol currently selling between N1,370 and N1,410 per litre in Abuja and its environs.