Former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has slammed the Federal Government’s economic policies, saying Nigerians now face painful choices between feeding their families and paying transport fares.
Atiku, in a statement Friday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, said the hardship contrasts sharply with Germany’s decision to cut taxes on petrol and diesel to ease living costs.
Germany, the statement said, reduced fuel taxes by €0.17 per litre from October through December, at an estimated cost of €2.5 billion, with pump prices subsequently beginning to decline.
Atiku quoted that the development demonstrated what he described as the need for governments to intervene when energy costs place excessive pressure on households.
He argued that higher fuel prices have consequences beyond the filling station, as increased transportation costs feed into the prices of food and other essential commodities.
“When petrol becomes more expensive, transport becomes more expensive. When transport costs rise, food and other essentials cost more.
“The hardship follows Nigerians from the filling station to the market and into their homes,” Atiku said.
The former vice president also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address, saying the President’s description of Nigeria’s economic direction did not reflect the difficulties confronting many households.
Atiku criticized the administration’s position on fuel subsidies, which he said had been portrayed as an “addictive” policy, arguing that government should instead focus on protecting citizens from the immediate impact of rising energy costs.
He also challenged the President’s position that salaries and pensions were being paid “on time and in full,” alleging that some federal workers had experienced delays while pensioners continued to raise concerns over outstanding payments.
Atiku said his proposed alternative would involve targeted and budgeted support for petrol refined in Nigeria, backed by strict auditing and safeguards to ensure that the benefit translates into lower pump prices.
According to him, the proposed arrangement would be restricted to locally refined fuel rather than imported petroleum products.
He said: “Our plan is to restore targeted, budgeted support for fuel refined in Nigeria, with strict auditing and a guarantee that the benefit lowers pump prices.
“Support will follow the barrel refined here, creating jobs here and easing costs for Nigerians.”
Atiku said the proposed intervention would be funded by reducing government waste and would include measures against diversion and price manipulation.
He maintained that reducing fuel costs would have wider benefits for households and businesses by lowering transportation expenses and potentially reducing the cost of goods moved across the country.
He further said Nigeria’s natural resources should be used in ways that reduce the economic burden on citizens, rather than leaving households to bear the full impact of rising costs.
“To every Nigerian forced to choose between feeding a family, paying for transport or meeting another basic need, I am deeply sorry. You did not deserve this hardship,” he said.
Atiku said his economic vision was centred on expanding domestic refining, creating jobs locally and making essential goods and services more affordable.
