Atiku Abubakar Critiques Fuel Subsidy Savings Claims

The national debate on fuel subsidy in Nigeria has gained momentum, particularly in light of Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele's declaration that N15.8 trillion was saved from the removal of the fuel subsidy or PMS price increase between June 2023 and December 2025. This statement contrasts sharply with former Finance Minister Wale Edun's projection that fuel subsidy expenditure would reach ₦5.4 trillion by the end of 2024.

Oyedele claimed that out of the N15.8 trillion savings, N5.4 trillion went to the federal government, while N10.4 trillion was distributed among state and local governments. However, this explanation has been met with skepticism from Nigerian workers and opposition politicians.

Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, has promised to restore the petrol subsidy if elected in 2027, criticizing the sudden implementation of the subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu. Other candidates, including Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, have also expressed concerns over the subsidy removal's execution and its implications for citizens.