Shettima Critiques Atiku's Subsidy Plan at APC Event

On October 14, Vice President Kashim Shettima ridiculed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's economic proposals, particularly his plan for a production subsidy, during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja. Shettima stated that Atiku's change in ideological stance could not effectively balance the national budget, questioning who would pay for the subsidies and who would benefit from them.

He characterized Atiku's shift from capitalism to a more socialist approach as a significant ideological change. Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has promised to restore the petrol subsidy if he wins the 2027 election, emphasizing that his approach would support domestic refining and production.

He has criticized the Federal Government's recent petrol discount as insufficient and reiterated the need for a production-based subsidy. Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele clarified that the discount is a sale at cost, not a subsidy.