Atiku's Media Adviser Defends Change on Subsidy Policy

Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, defended Atiku's change of position regarding petrol subsidy removal, stating that leadership necessitates the courage to reassess policies that cause hardship for citizens. In a post on X, Ibe responded to criticisms from the Presidency regarding Atiku's proposed Atiku Economic Recovery Plan (AERP).

He argued that changing one's stance after witnessing the consequences of a policy is not hypocrisy. Ibe referenced World Bank data indicating that subsidy removal has exacerbated living conditions, with an estimated seven million Nigerians projected to fall into poverty by 2025.

He highlighted that poor households spend up to 70% of their income on food and noted that macroeconomic gains have not improved living standards. Ibe criticized President Tinubu's stance, asserting that a responsible leader should be willing to reconsider policies when they inflict severe hardship on the populace.