By Ify Okoli
African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku
Abubakar says US President Donald Trump supports his proposed plan to restore
fuel subsidy in Nigeria if he wins the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku made the claim on Sunday through a statement issued by
his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, titled “Atiku boasts of stakeholders, Trump support on fuel subsidy.”
The former vice-president has promised to reintroduce a form
of fuel subsidy, which he describes as a “Production Subsidy”, if
elected president.
Under the proposal, Atiku says government support would
focus on boosting local production and refining while increasing fuel supply
and keeping pump prices within reach of ordinary Nigerians.
“This is why my Production Subsidy is about putting money
back into people’s pockets,” he said.
Atiku’s argument comes amid continued debate over how
Nigeria should respond to the economic pressure created by fuel prices and the
removal of the previous petrol subsidy.
He pointed to the position of the Crude Oil Refiners
Association of Nigeria (CORAN), which has advocated greater support for
domestic production and refining.
“CORAN is saying support domestic production. America
understands the importance of supporting strategic energy production,” Atiku
said.
He then drew a comparison with US policy, arguing that supporting
strategically important industries should not be viewed as poor economics when
ordinary Nigerians are the intended beneficiaries.
Atiku also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration
over what he described as its approach to economic incentives and government
intervention in the oil industry.
He argued that the government had shown it was willing to
provide waivers, incentives and concessions to multinational oil companies and
businesses regarded as close to the administration.
“Yet Tinubu attacks relief for ordinary Nigerians while his
government understands perfectly well how to grant waivers, incentives and
concessions to multinational oil companies and businesses close to his
administration,” he said.
The ADC candidate questioned why government intervention
should be considered economically unsound when the beneficiaries are ordinary
Nigerians rather than large businesses.
“So why does intervention suddenly become bad economics when
ordinary Nigerians are meant to benefit?” Atiku asked.
His comments place fuel pricing and government intervention
firmly among the economic issues likely to shape the 2027 presidential contest,
with Atiku presenting his proposed policy as a way of supporting local
production while easing pressure on consumers.
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