Atiku not proposing return to old fuel subsidy racket – Aide

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu has said the former vice president is not proposing a return to the old fuel import subsidy racket.

Shaibu explained that Atiku is proposing a targeted, capped and audited subsidy for domestic production.

In a Facebook live session, Atiku had pledged to restore the fuel subsidy regime if elected president in 2027.

Reacting, media personality, Rufai Oseni, wrote: “President Tinubu once fought against subsidy removal. He wrote an article calling it Jonathan’s tax.

“Today, he’s condemning Atiku for saying he will bring back subsidies.

“How is Atiku different from President Tinubu who fought and protested against subsidies?”

Providing further clarification, Atiku’s aide, Shaibu posted on X: “The issue isn’t simply ‘subsidy or no subsidy.’ It is what kind of subsidy, who benefits, and how it is administered.

“Atiku is not proposing a return to the old import-subsidy racket. He is proposing a targeted, capped and auditable subsidy for domestic production: supporting Nigerian refining, not foreign imports and middlemen.

“So the real debate should be:

“Do we subsidise imports and consumption, or strategically support Nigerian production and jobs? Those are two fundamentally different economic choices.”