{
  "id": 9171208,
  "title": "SBM report: Nigerians must reject Tinubu same way they’ve rejected subsidy removal – Atiku",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/sbm-report-nigerians-must-reject-tinubu-same-way-theyve-rejected",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T16:42:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/sbm-report-nigerians-must-reject-tinubu-same-way-they-rejected-subsidy-removal-atiku/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has asserted that the recent SBM Intelligence survey confirms that Nigerians have strongly rejected President Bola Tinubu's fuel policy and are demanding immediate relief from the soaring cost of living. In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku highlighted that 67.4% of respondents desire the restoration of petrol subsidies, signifying a resounding public disapproval of Tinubu's administration's decision to remove subsidies without a comprehensive plan. This overwhelming majority, Atiku explained, represents a growing segment of Nigerians who have rejected Tinubu's economic policies and are rallying behind his alternative vision of a government that prioritizes the well-being of its citizens over abandoning them to the harsh realities of the market.\n\nAtiku emphasized that petrol has emerged as the second-most cited national issue and the worst-rated policy under the Tinubu administration, garnering a dismally low score of 1.69 out of four. The survey findings underscore the profound impact of Tinubu's fuel policy, detailing how it has exacerbated food prices, stifled economic activities, and plunged millions of families deeper into poverty. The survey's significance was further accentuated by the fact that 32.4% of rural respondents identified petrol as their primary concern, a stark contrast to the 11.7% in urban areas, demonstrating the policy's widespread and indiscriminate impact across geographical, ethnic, and political divides.\n\nAtiku criticized Tinubu's approach, arguing that it was driven by a lack of strategy and foresight, with no viable plan for domestic refining, public transportation, wage protection, or support for small businesses reliant on affordable energy. He pointed out that Tinubu was warned about the dire consequences of such a reckless approach—higher transportation costs, increased food inflation, and a widening poverty gap—but chose to ignore these warnings.\n\nThe current economic situation, according to Atiku, cannot be reconciled with GDP figures alone. He stressed that economic reforms must directly improve the lives of the people, a point he firmly differentiates from Tinubu's policies, which prioritize tax hikes and the removal of all forms of protection, thereby exposing citizens to the full brunt of an economic crisis he helped to instigate. Atiku's proposed solution involves a transparent production subsidy exclusively for petroleum products refined within Nigeria, with no imports qualifying, a fixed spending ceiling, National Assembly approval, and mandatory independent audits. This initiative aims to curb fuel prices, bolster domestic refining, generate employment, and restore the purchasing power that the current administration has eroded.\n\nAtiku urged Tinubu to acknowledge the people's demand for relief and offer immediate assistance during his remaining tenure. He called on the President to stop pretending that the suffering of Nigerians is an inevitable consequence of reform and to take concrete steps towards providing the much-needed relief. Atiku concluded, \"Tinubu made life expensive. Atiku will make life affordable again.\"",
  "summary": "Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the latest SBM Intelligence survey confirms that Nigerians have overwhelmingly rejected President Bola Tinubu’s fuel policy and are demanding immediate relief from the crushing cost of living. Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the finding that 67.4 per […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}