Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar says Nigerians favour the restoration of petrol subsidy and want relief from the hardship caused by rising fuel and transportation costs.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic
Congress (ADC), spoke in a statement issued on Tuesday by Phrank Shaibu, his
senior special assistant on public communication.
He cited a survey by SBM Intelligence which, according to
him, found that 67.4 percent of respondents rejected the federal government’s
current petrol pricing policy, with 19.2 supporting it.
He said the finding represented widespread dissatisfaction
with the federal government’s fuel policy and should prompt President Bola
Tinubu to reconsider his administration’ approach.
“This survey is no longer merely about economic policy. It
has become a democratic question,” Atiku said.
“When an overwhelming majority of Nigerians declare that a
government policy is destroying their lives, responsible leadership must
listen.”
The former vice-president said the survey identified petrol
as the second-most cited national problem and the Tinubu administration’s
worst-rated policy issue, with a score of 1.69 out of four.
He said the findings reflected the difficulties faced by
families, workers, farmers and businesses as fuel and transportation costs
continue to rise.
“This survey is not merely about percentages. It is the
collective cry of Nigerian families who can no longer afford food, workers
whose salaries disappear on transportation, farmers who cannot move their
produce to market and businesses collapsing under the weight of fuel and energy
costs,” he said.
Atiku said Nigerians had endured higher transportation
costs, rising food prices, declining purchasing power and deeper economic
hardship since the removal of petrol subsidy.
“The survey simply confirms what Nigerians already know:
Tinubu’s fuel policy has caused far more harm than good,” he stated.
‘PETROL CONCERN IS HIGHER IN RURAL AREAS’
The ADC presidential candidate also cited regional figures
from the survey, saying 32.4 percent of rural respondents identified petrol as
their primary concern, compared with 11.7 percent of urban respondents.
He said petrol was also the leading concern in the
south-west, at 30.5 percent, and the south-south, at 29.1 percent.
According to Atiku, the figures showed that concerns over
fuel prices extend across different parts of the country.
“President Tinubu removed subsidy with a slogan, not a
strategy. He had no credible plan for domestic refining, mass transportation,
wage protection or the millions of small businesses that depend on affordable
energy,” he said.
Atiku said the government had ignored warnings about the
likely effects of higher petrol prices on purchasing power, transportation
costs and food inflation.
Atiku reiterated his proposal for a transparent production
subsidy tied specifically to petroleum products refined in Nigeria and sold to
Nigerians.
“If elected, from May 29, 2027, I will introduce a
transparent production subsidy for petroleum products refined in Nigeria and
sold to Nigerians. Imports will not qualify,” he said.
He said the proposed programme would have a fixed spending
limit, national assembly approval and independent audits.
According to him, the policy would be aimed at reducing
petrol prices, strengthening domestic refining, creating jobs and restoring
purchasing power.
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