Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Misrepresenting Subsidy Proposal

On September 11, 2026, Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria, accused the Tinubu administration of deliberately misrepresenting his production subsidy proposal. He claimed that the government used concerns from Dangote Refinery to instill fear rather than engage in honest policy discussions.

Atiku clarified that his proposal aimed to reduce the cost of crude oil supplied to domestic refineries, distinguishing it from an import subsidy, which he criticized as wasteful public spending. He outlined safeguards for his plan, including a hard fiscal ceiling, independent verification, and penalties for fraud.

Atiku rejected the government's assertion that subsidies would lead to economic collapse, labeling it as "melodrama from the Villa." He pointed out the hypocrisy of the administration, which grants tax waivers to businesses while opposing a consumer-focused production subsidy. Atiku challenged the government to debate his actual proposal rather than a distorted version of it.

He was ratified as the presidential candidate of the NDC for the 2027 general elections on May 29, 2026, after resigning from the African Democratic Congress on May 2, 2026.