The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's pledge to restore the fuel subsidy if he wins the 2027 presidential election, accusing him of abandoning his previous stance for political gain. The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in a statement on his X handle on Thursday, described the proposal as a desperate attempt by the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to win support.
APC Accuses Atiku of Flip-Flopping
Mr Morka titled his statement “Atiku, flip-flopping in last-ditch desperation,” accusing the former vice president of reversing his position on fuel subsidy after supporting its removal ahead of the 2023 presidential election. He said Atiku had failed to offer an alternative economic policy and was seeking to exploit public dissatisfaction with the hardship that followed the subsidy removal.
“This is desperation of the most pitiful kind,” Mr Morka said, describing Atiku’s position as “an admission he is clueless and out of touch with Nigeria’s economic realities and imperatives of reform.” According to him, the proposal demonstrated a lack of alternative economic ideas and an attempt to use populist promises to gain political support. He added that the position could contribute to what he called Atiku’s “final defeat” in 2027.
Atiku’s Pledge and Reasoning
The APC’s reaction came after Atiku said he would restore the petrol subsidy if elected president, while questioning how the savings from its removal had been utilised. The former vice president made the pledge during a Facebook Live session, where he responded to questions on the subsidy removal and the management of funds previously spent on the scheme.
Atiku said he had not initially opposed the removal of the subsidy but wanted the government to account for the resources previously used to fund it. “I initially did not oppose the removal of the fuel subsidy. But now that it has been removed, where is the money? Where has the subsidy money gone? Has it been used to improve healthcare, education or security?” he asked. He then pledged to reverse the policy if elected. “If I win the presidential election, I will restore the subsidy. And anyone who stole Nigeria’s subsidy funds must return the money,” Atiku said.
Presidency and Wike Join Criticism
The presidency also criticised Atiku, with the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accusing him of changing his position because of his desire to return to power. Mr Onanuga said the former vice president had campaigned in 2023 on the position that the subsidy regime should be eliminated but had now abandoned that position. He described the shift as an “opportunistic” reversal of a major component of Atiku’s previous economic position.
Mr Onanuga argued that the subsidy arrangement that existed before 2023 was no longer compatible with the country’s current petroleum-sector structure. According to him, the Petroleum Industry Act had already provided for the end of the subsidy regime by the end of June 2023, with President Tinubu only bringing forward the implementation by a few weeks after assuming office. He also rejected Atiku’s claim about savings from the subsidy, arguing that the subsidy was not money sitting in government coffers that could simply be redirected to other sectors. He explained that the former system involved the government absorbing the difference between the regulated pump price and the actual cost of supplying petrol, creating significant financial obligations for the state.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, also questioned Atiku’s consistency, recalling that the former vice president had previously supported the removal of the subsidy. Mr Wike described Atiku as a “voodoo economist” and accused him of changing his position in pursuit of political power. “For Atiku, who is confused is a voodoo economist. Atiku will say anything just to be president,” Mr Wike said. He recalled Atiku’s position in 2022, when he supported the removal of the subsidy on the grounds that the system was fraudulent. “This was a man in 2022 that was going to remove the fuel subsidy because it was a fraud. Now in 2026, he was not going to remove the fuel subsidy. Is he going back to the fraud?” Mr Wike asked.
Mr Wike said political leaders should maintain consistency when making policy proposals, particularly on issues with significant consequences for the economy and the welfare of Nigerians. The criticism from the APC, the presidency, and the FCT minister underscores the political tension surrounding the subsidy issue ahead of the 2027 election, with Atiku’s pledge likely to remain a contentious point of debate.
