‘You Ridiculed My Idea’ – Atiku Fires Back At Tinubu Over Fuel Subsidy, Demands Apology

The 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to apologise to Nigerians after dismissing his proposal for a targeted fuel subsidy.

Atiku, a former Vice President, said the recent position of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on reducing petrol prices had vindicated his call for government intervention in domestic refining.

He also asked Tinubu to either withdraw from the 2027 presidential race or wait to be rejected by Nigerians at the polls.

Naija News reports that Atiku made the remarks in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

IPMAN’s Position Vindicates Me – Atiku

IPMAN had called on the Federal Government to support domestic refiners as part of efforts to reduce the price of petrol in the country.

Atiku said the intervention was important because it came from people directly involved in the petroleum business and who understand the pressure high fuel prices have placed on Nigerian businesses and households.

The ADC candidate had earlier proposed a return of fuel subsidy, but with a major difference — he said the intervention should be tied to local production and domestic refining.

The proposal followed the removal of fuel subsidy by the Tinubu administration in 2023.

However, the Presidency had rejected Atiku’s proposal, describing the idea as a sign of economic ignorance.

But Atiku said IPMAN’s latest position had shown that his argument was not only practical but also in line with the needs of the petroleum sector.

He argued that his proposal would also support key objectives of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), especially local refining and making petroleum products affordable for Nigerians.

Atiku accused Tinubu and his government of deliberately mixing up the old import subsidy system with his proposal for a production-based intervention.

He said the difference was simple: Nigeria should use its own crude oil to produce affordable petrol locally instead of relying heavily on imported products.

According to him, Nigeria cannot continue exporting crude oil, importing refined petrol and then expect citizens to bear the high cost.

He said, “Nigeria produces crude oil. It is economic foolishness to possess the raw material, fail to maximize its processing at home and then tell Nigerians that unaffordable fuel is the price they must pay for reform.”

Atiku also pointed to the high cost of petrol and its effect on the purchasing power of Nigerians.

He cited the DailyFuels Fuel Affordability Index, which he said ranked Nigeria 91st in fuel affordability and estimated that an average Nigerian needs about 44 minutes of work to afford one litre of petrol.

He added that filling a 40-litre tank would amount to about 29.5 hours of work under the methodology used by the index.

The former Vice President said the figures showed that comparing Nigeria’s petrol prices with those of wealthier countries without considering income levels was misleading.

He said Nigerians do not earn the salaries paid in Europe and the United States, making the current fuel prices more difficult for ordinary citizens to cope with.

Atiku welcomed IPMAN’s call for government support and urged marketers, refiners, regulators, consumers and independent monitors to work together ahead of the 2027 election.

He said the goal should be to ensure that any government support reaches domestic producers and eventually reflects in lower prices at filling stations.

He said the policy should put local production, transparency, purchasing power and affordable energy first.

Atiku accused Tinubu of choosing hardship while presenting his economic policies as reforms.

‘Apologize Or Get Rejected In 2027’

Atiku said Tinubu now had two options if he wanted to act honourably, apologize to him and, more importantly, to Nigerians, or withdraw from the 2027 presidential contest.

He warned that if the President refused to quit the race, Nigerians could vote him out at the polls.

“There are therefore two honourable options before him now: apologize to Atiku Abubakar and, more importantly, to the Nigerian people for ridiculing a policy principle that major petroleum-sector players are beginning to recognize and quietly withdraw from the 2027 presidential contest or wait to be rejected at the polls in January,” he said.

Atiku stressed that the issue was bigger than the political contest between him and Tinubu.

“This is not about Tinubu or Atiku. It is about Nigerians,” he said.

The former Vice President added that Nigerians should not be expected to support another four years of a government whose economic policies, according to him, had emptied their pockets.

Atiku said he would continue to build a political coalition ahead of 2027 with the aim of making life more affordable for Nigerians.