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Politics

Atiku Takes Stand On Restoring Fuel Subsidy

Key Takeaways

  • Atiku Abubakar has pledged to restore the petrol subsidy if he wins the 2027 presidential election, reaffirming his position on X on Monday.
  • His campaign video said the subsidy would cover only locally refined petrol, excluding imports, and remain until local refineries can stand on their own.
  • A Federal High Court in Abuja voided Atiku’s ADC candidacy on November 5; the party has appealed and is seeking a stay of execution.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has said he remains committed to bringing back the petrol subsidy if he wins the 2027 presidential election.

Naija News reports that the former Vice-President made the pledge in a post on his 𝕏 handle on Monday, which was accompanied by a campaign video.

“My position stands! I will restore subsidy to make life easier and more affordable for Nigerians,” he wrote.

The video argued that while Nigerians pay over ₦1,300 for a litre of petrol, people in other oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, Iran and Venezuela buy the product at much lower prices.

According to the clip, the subsidy plan would cover only locally refined petrol, not imports, and would remain in place until local refineries can stand on their own.

Atiku was quoted in the video as saying, “My position has not changed and will not change. I will restore it.”

The subsidy regime was scrapped by President Bola Tinubu in his inaugural speech in May 2023, with the government promising to invest the savings in infrastructure and social services.

Atiku has made reversing the policy a central plank of his campaign, alongside reopening the land borders and tackling insecurity, promises he repeated at the ADC flag-off rally in Sokoto on November 4.

Atiku clinched the ADC ticket in May, making it his seventh attempt at the presidency.

However, a Federal High Court in Abuja voided his candidacy on November 5, also nullifying the decisions of the party’s David Mark-led leadership.

The party has filed an appeal and is seeking a stay of execution.

The presidential poll is fixed for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state Assembly elections will hold on February 6.