Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Favoring Rich in Fuel Subsidy

Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate, accused President Bola Tinubu's administration of implementing selective economics that favors wealthy petroleum investors while imposing the full cost of market-priced fuel on ordinary Nigerians. In a statement released on August 23, 2026, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku claimed that Tinubu's assertion of abolishing petrol subsidy contradicts financial records from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

The NNPC's 2023 accounts indicated energy-security expenses and related shortfalls of approximately N4.84 trillion, with 2024 figures rising to about N7.13 trillion. Shaibu argued that renaming these expenses does not alter the economic reality for Nigerians.

He also criticized the administration's double standards regarding government intervention. Atiku's Economic Recovery Plan proposes a targeted, capped, and independently audited intervention, alongside domestic refining and investment in mass transportation.

The statement called for transparency regarding beneficiaries of petroleum tax credits and the total value of revenue surrendered.