‘He didn’t speak on my authority’ – Atiku counters aide, insists on total restoration of fuel subsidy
Atiku Abubakar, the 2027 presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has clarified his stance on fuel subsidies following remarks made by his media aide, Paul Ibe.
In an interview on AIT on Tuesday, Ibe stated that if elected, Atiku would not reinstate the previous fuel subsidy regime. Instead, he suggested that any return to a subsidy would be temporary, with plans to phase it out in favor of leveraging Nigeria’s crude oil resources to enhance domestic refining and lower petroleum product costs.
Ibe emphasized, “We are not returning to Egypt. We are not going back to the old regime that was opaque.”
However, Atiku distanced himself from Ibe’s comments during a meeting with stakeholders shortly after the interview. He asserted that his aide did not represent his views accurately, stating that he would fully restore the fuel subsidy if elected president.
Atiku argued that Nigeria has the resources to support its citizens through such measures. He criticized the removal of the fuel subsidy, claiming it has exacerbated economic hardships, pushing more Nigerians into poverty.
He affirmed, “I want to repeat categorically that when I said I would return the fuel subsidy, I will. Nigeria is rich enough to look after the welfare of its citizens. Let it be clearly stated that he was not speaking on my own authority. The removal of fuel subsidy has driven more Nigerians into poverty than at any other time in the history of this country.”
