Atiku Abubakar Demands Apology from Tinubu Over Subsidy

Atiku Abubakar, the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Vice President, has demanded an apology from President Bola Tinubu after Tinubu dismissed Atiku's proposal for a targeted fuel subsidy. Atiku's remarks, made through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, followed a statement from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) advocating for government support for domestic refiners to reduce petrol prices.

Atiku's proposal, which ties fuel subsidy to local production and domestic refining, was made after the Tinubu administration removed the fuel subsidy in 2023. The Presidency had previously rejected Atiku's idea, labeling it as economically ignorant.

Atiku contends that IPMAN's recent position validates his argument, emphasizing that Nigeria should refine its crude oil domestically rather than relying on imports. He criticized the high petrol prices and their impact on Nigerians' purchasing power, citing the DailyFuels Fuel Affordability Index, which ranks Nigeria 91st in fuel affordability.