President Bola Tinubu has publicly responded to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar after the latter called for a return to fuel subsidy, describing the proposal as proof of serious ignorance about governance and the economy. Tinubu also took a swipe at former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, referencing the governor's nickname 'Half Salary' among residents.
Tinubu Labels Atiku's Subsidy Proposal as 'Serious Ignorance'
In a video address, Tinubu directed his sharpest criticism at Atiku, who had publicly advocated reinstating fuel subsidy payments that the president scrapped after taking office in May 2023. 'I saw Atiku saying that he'll go back to fuel subsidy. That's a demonstration of serious ignorance of governance and the economy,' Tinubu said in the video, according to a report by Legit.ng.
Tinubu argued that removing subsidy freed up revenue that now flows to state governments, enabling them to pay workers and pensioners. He pointed out that 27 states were unable to meet their salary obligations at the time he assumed office, framing the subsidy removal as a necessary measure to improve state-level funding.
Tinubu Raises 'Half Salary' Jibe at Aregbesola
To drive his point home, Tinubu turned his fire on Aregbesola, his former political ally who governed Osun State. Without naming him directly, he described a man from Osun whose nickname among residents became 'Half Salary,' a reference to the state's widely reported struggles with paying workers in full during that period. 'Before I came here, 27 states couldn't pay the salaries of workers, not to talk of pensioners. In Osun State, I know a man who is nicknamed 'Half Salary',' Tinubu said.
Beyond the personal digs, the president framed his defence of the subsidy removal around what he described as the everyday needs of ordinary Nigerians. He said salaries feed families, and argued that concentrations of population and local government structures sit within states, making state-level funding critical to the lives of common citizens.
Political Context Ahead of 2027 Elections
Tinubu's remarks position him directly against opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections. Atiku is widely expected to contest the presidential race, while Aregbesola, once a close political associate of the president, has increasingly distanced himself from the ruling camp. The exchange underscores deepening political divisions as the 2027 election cycle approaches.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as a 'voodoo economist,' accusing him of shifting positions on fuel subsidy policy, while insisting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains the frontrunner heading into the 2027 presidential election. Wike made the remarks on Thursday, August 20, during a media briefing held while he inspected infrastructure projects across Abuja.
