APC Chairman Warns Atiku's Subsidy Plan Threatens Wages

Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed concerns that the restoration of petrol subsidy proposed by Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), could undermine the sustainability of minimum wage in Nigeria. Speaking in Abuja during a meeting with economic stakeholders, Yilwatda highlighted that while cheaper petrol may seem appealing, the financial burden of the subsidy could adversely affect government spending on salaries, pensions, education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

He pointed out that President Bola Tinubu's decision to end the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, had led to increased federal allocations for states, enabling them to meet salary obligations. Yilwatda cautioned against reversing the subsidy removal without a thorough assessment of its impact on public finances, stressing that higher wages require stable government revenue to be maintained alongside other public responsibilities.