Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has publicly disowned comments made by one of his media aides on the contentious issue of fuel subsidy, insisting that his position on the matter remains unchanged and that he will restore the intervention if elected president in the 2027 general election.
Atiku made the clarification on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, while receiving the Osun State leadership of the ADC in Abuja. He was responding to recent comments by his aide, Paul Ibe, during an interview on the African Independent Television (AIT), in which Ibe suggested that an Atiku administration would restore petrol subsidy if elected but gradually phase out the intervention after the economy recovers.
“Earlier, one of my press aides contradicted me in a policy statement as far as subsidy is concerned,” Atiku declared. “I want to repeat categorically that when I said I would return to subsidy, I will! Nigeria is rich enough to look after the welfare of its citizens. Let it be clearly stated that he was not speaking on my own authority”.
In a subsequent statement posted on his X platform, the ADC presidential candidate doubled down on his position, framing the debate around the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians. “On the question of subsidy, my position has not changed and will not change: I will restore it!” he declared.
Atiku argued that the wealth of a nation should not be measured solely by government revenue but by the real value of money in the pockets of its citizens. “I believe the wealth of a nation is not measured by how much government collects, but by how much the money in the pockets of its people can buy,” he said. He linked rising fuel prices directly to escalating transportation and food costs, which he said had placed unbearable pressure on Nigerian households. “When fuel rises, transport rises. When transport rises, food rises. When food rises, families suffer,” Atiku stated. He vowed to “break that wretched chain that has defined our national life in the nearly four years of Tinubu’s presidency”.
Following the confusion generated by Ibe’s remarks, Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, issued a detailed clarification, emphasising that “policy belongs to the candidate, not the spokesperson”. Shaibu stated that the aide’s comments were “unauthorised, imprecise and materially misleading”.
The camp drew a firm line between Atiku’s proposal and the old import-subsidy regime removed by President Bola Tinubu in 2023. Shaibu explained that what Atiku is proposing is “a targeted, capped, transparently budgeted and independently audited subsidy that supports domestic refining and production,” with measurable exit conditions built in from day one. He stressed that there is no arbitrary withdrawal date attached to the plan, using the analogy: “You do not remove scaffolding because the calendar says so. You remove it when the building can stand securely on its own”.
Atiku has framed his proposal as a temporary relief mechanism aimed at reducing the cost of living by supporting local production, reducing energy costs, and restoring purchasing power. He has insisted that his administration would support domestic refining rather than revive the discredited import racket.
The clarification comes amid intense political debate over the fuel subsidy, which was removed by President Tinubu on May 29, 2023, triggering a sharp rise in fuel prices and contributing to increased living costs. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had earlier accused Atiku of desperation and political gimmickry over his subsidy pledge.
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