African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerians to reject the current government, blaming President Bola Tinubu's policies for worsening economic conditions. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku accused the administration of destroying purchasing power and pushing businesses to collapse through high fuel, transport and food costs. He linked the economic strain to the removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that the pain felt by ordinary citizens contradicts official economic reports from Abuja.
Atiku defended his proposal for a production subsidy aimed at supporting local refining and reducing consumer costs, contrasting it with what he described as Tinubu's selective use of economic interventions. He cited the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN)'s position in favour of domestic production and referenced former U.S. President Donald Trump's support for American petroleum refining as evidence that targeted aid for energy sectors is globally accepted. He questioned why such intervention is dismissed when intended to benefit Nigerian citizens.
The former vice president highlighted sharp price increases under Tinubu's watch: petrol rising from about ₦199 to ₦1,400 per litre, fertiliser from ₦9,000 to ₦50,000, cement from ₦4,000 to ₦13,500, and the dollar from ₦450 to ₦1,400. He described how these changes affect daily life, using the example of a woman selling frozen food in Kubwa who faces higher operational costs and weaker customer demand. Atiku argued that company revenues are now undermined by unpaid bills, a sign of broader economic distress caused by eroded consumer capacity.
Atiku highlights a contradiction in Tinubu's stance: opposing subsidies for citizens while allowing incentives for connected businesses. This distinction matters to Nigerian voters assessing whose interests the government truly serves.
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