The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his pledge to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027, accusing him of abandoning his previous position on the policy for political advantage.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described the proposal as a desperate attempt by the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to win support ahead of the 2027 election.
Mr Morka, in a statement posted on his X handle on Thursday, said Atiku had reversed his position on fuel subsidy after previously supporting its removal ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
“Atiku, flip-flopping in last-ditch desperation,” Mr Morka titled his statement.
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He accused the former vice president of failing to offer an alternative economic policy and of seeking to exploit public dissatisfaction with the hardship that followed the removal of the subsidy.
“This is desperation of the most pitiful kind,” he said, describing Atiku’s position as “an admission he is clueless and out of touch with Nigeria’s economic realities and imperatives of reform.”
According to Mr Morka, the former vice president’s proposal also demonstrated what he called a lack of alternative economic ideas and an attempt to use populist promises to gain political support.
He said the position could ultimately contribute to what he described as Atiku’s “final defeat” in 2027.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that the APC’s reaction came after Atiku said he would restore the petrol subsidy if elected president, while questioning how the savings from its removal had been utilised.
The former vice president made the pledge during a Facebook Live session in which he responded to questions on the subsidy removal and the management of funds previously spent on the scheme.
Atiku said he had not initially opposed the removal of the subsidy but wanted the government to account for the resources that were previously used to fund it.
“I initially did not oppose the removal of the fuel subsidy. But now that it has been removed, where is the money? Where has the subsidy money gone? Has it been used to improve healthcare, education or security?” he asked.
He then pledged to reverse the policy if elected.
“If I win the presidential election, I will restore the subsidy. And anyone who stole Nigeria’s subsidy funds must return the money,” Atiku said.
Presidency joins criticism
PREMIUM TIMES reports that the presidency also criticised Atiku, with the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accusing Atiku of changing his position because of his desire to return to power.
Mr Onanuga said the former vice president had campaigned in 2023 on the position that the subsidy regime should be eliminated but had now abandoned that position.
He described the shift as an “opportunistic” reversal of a major component of Atiku’s previous economic position.
The presidential aide argued that the subsidy arrangement that existed before 2023 was no longer compatible with the country’s current petroleum-sector structure.
According to him, the Petroleum Industry Act had already provided for the end of the subsidy regime by the end of June 2023, with President Tinubu only bringing forward the implementation by a few weeks after assuming office.
Mr Onanuga also rejected Atiku’s claim about savings from the subsidy, arguing that the subsidy was not money sitting in government coffers that could simply be redirected to other sectors.
He explained that the former system involved the government absorbing the difference between the regulated pump price and the actual cost of supplying petrol, creating significant financial obligations for the state.
Wike questions Atiku’s consistency
The former vice president’s proposal has also attracted criticism from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Mr Wike questioned Atiku’s consistency, recalling that the former vice president had previously supported the removal of the subsidy.
The FCT minister described Atiku as a “voodoo economist” and accused him of changing his position in pursuit of political power.
“For Atiku, who is confused is a voodoo economist. Atiku will say anything just to be president,” Mr Wike said.
He recalled Atiku’s position in 2022, when he supported the removal of the subsidy on the grounds that the system was fraudulent.
“This was a man in 2022 that was going to remove the fuel subsidy because it was a fraud. Now in 2026, he was not going to remove the fuel subsidy. Is he going back to the fraud?” Mr Wike asked.
He said political leaders should maintain consistency when making policy proposals, particularly on issues with significant consequences for the economy and the welfare of Nigerians.