APC Chairman Critiques Atiku's Fuel Subsidy Proposal

Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed concerns regarding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's proposal to reinstate the fuel subsidy in Nigeria. Yilwatda warned that this move could reverse the economic gains achieved under current reforms, adversely affecting workers' wages, education, infrastructure, and the fiscal stability of states.

In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda highlighted that the subsidy could lead to fuel queues and threaten the payment of the minimum wage, as well as education grants for students. He referenced President Bola Tinubu's declaration on May 29, 2023, that the fuel subsidy was eliminated, a decision that had initially increased prices but was claimed to yield significant economic benefits.

Yilwatda urged stakeholders to consider the broader fiscal implications of reinstating the subsidy, including its impact on government revenues and the ability to meet obligations to citizens.