Atiku Decries Rising Living Costs 

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Nigerian Government’s handling of petrol subsidy removal, saying rising fuel, transport and food costs have placed a growing burden on households.

Atiku promised to pursue policies that would reduce the cost of living if elected, declaring that he would “make life affordable again”.

His position was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu.

Atiku said President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address did not adequately reflect the economic difficulties facing ordinary Nigerians.

He particularly criticised the President’s defence of petrol subsidy removal and his description of subsidies as “addictive”.

The former vice president also disputed Tinubu’s assertion that salaries and pensions had been paid on time and in full, saying, according to his campaign, some federal workers had reported payment delays while pensioners continued to demand outstanding entitlements.

Atiku’s comments followed Germany’s decision to temporarily reduce energy taxes on petrol and diesel from October 1 to December 31, 2026, as part of measures to ease the impact of high fuel costs on households and businesses.

The German government said the energy tax reduction would amount to 14 cents per litre, rising to about 17 cents when the associated reduction in value-added tax is included. The measure is expected to provide about €2.5 billion in relief.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the policy was designed to provide immediate relief to households and businesses affected by elevated fuel prices.

Drawing a comparison with Nigeria, Atiku argued that the impact of higher petrol prices extends beyond transportation because increased transport costs also raise the cost of moving food and other essential goods to markets.

“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.

“Germany understands that when fuel prices put families under pressure, government must act. Nigerians deserve the same compassion and urgency,” the statement quoted Atiku as saying.

He said the burden ultimately affects Nigerians at different stages, from purchasing fuel and paying for transportation to buying food and meeting household expenses.

Atiku said his proposed alternative would not involve a blanket petrol subsidy. Instead, he proposed targeted and budgeted support for petrol refined locally, with government funding tied to fuel produced in Nigeria and subject to strict auditing.

Under the proposal, he said the support would apply only to locally refined fuel, with safeguards against diversion and price manipulation. He added that the approach would be funded by reducing government waste and would be designed to support domestic refining and job creation.

The ADC candidate also expressed sympathy for Nigerians struggling with higher transportation, food and household expenses, saying the economic hardship should not be treated as an unavoidable consequence of reform.

“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. It will be funded by cutting waste, protected against diversion and price manipulation, and will not apply to imported fuel,” he added.

“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. Tinubu made life unbearably expensive and called your suffering the price of reform. I will make life affordable again,” he said.

He maintained that lowering fuel costs would have wider effects on the economy by reducing transportation expenses and potentially lowering the cost of moving goods to consumers.

The debate over petrol pricing has remained central to Nigeria’s economic policy discussions since the Tinubu administration announced the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023.

The policy was followed by a sharp increase in petrol prices and transportation costs, while the government has defended the reform as necessary to reduce the cost of subsidising petrol and redirect public funds to other priorities.

The Nigerian Government has also cited measures including wage adjustments, social intervention programmes and other reforms as efforts to cushion the effects of the policy.

Atiku, however, maintained that the government should take more direct measures to reduce the pressure on households.

He said his proposed economic approach would focus on domestic production, job creation and policies aimed at making essential goods and services more affordable.