Tinubu administration attacks Atiku's plan to restore fuel subsidies

The federal government has sharply criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's announcement that he would restore fuel subsidies if he wins the 2027 presidential election. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga released a statement on Thursday attacking the proposal, which Atiku made during a Hausa-language radio interview, as a retreat from the former vice president's own previous positions on fuel pricing.

Onanuga argued that restoring subsidies would be financially unsustainable and would contradict structural changes introduced through the Petroleum Industry Act, which took effect in June 2023. The presidency stated that Nigerians deserve clarity on how such a subsidy regime would be funded and whether it could legally operate within the current petroleum framework.

The government also signaled that reversing subsidy removal would require significant legislative action. Atiku countered through his communications team, proposing what he described as a targeted subsidy approach rather than a blanket restoration.

He framed this as a tool to accelerate domestic refining capacity if elected. The former vice president also called for recovery of funds he alleged had been stolen from previous subsidy programs, though neither the presidency nor available reports specified the amounts he referenced.

The exchange reflects a fundamental policy disagreement between the current administration and one of the major opposition voices ahead of the next election cycle. The presidency's critique centered on the inconsistency of Atiku's position, noting his support for subsidy removal during the 2023 election campaign, while Atiku's team positioned the new proposal as an evolved economic strategy focused on industrial development rather than consumer relief.