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A spokesman for President Bola Tinubu‘s administration has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s pledge to restore fuel subsidy as a “populist gamble” by a candidate who is not popular with Nigerians.
Daniel Bwala, a spokesman for the Tinubu campaign, said in a post on X on Thursday that Atiku’s promise to bring back subsidy was driven by desperation rather than conviction.
“Since 2027 this is likely to be his last chance to seek that office of the president, he decided to gamble on populist rhetoric of ‘I will bring back the fuel subsidy’ he presumed that after all there is nothing to lose,” Bwala wrote.
“The only problem is that, to run a populist campaign you must FIRST ENSURE THAT YOU ARE POPULAR WITH THE PEOPLE.”
Since 2027 this is likely to be his last chance to seek that office of the president, he decided to gamble on populist rhetoric of “I will bring back the fuel subsidy” he presumed that after all there is nothing to loose.
The only problem is that, to run a populist campaign…
— D. H Bwala (@BwalaDaniel) August 27, 2026
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has said he would restore a “targeted subsidy” if elected in 2027.
In a post on his official X account on Tuesday, Atiku said: “On the question of subsidy, my position has not changed and will not change: I will restore it!”
He said he would restore a “targeted subsidy” aimed at putting “purchasing power back in the hands of Nigerians.”
On the question of subsidy, my position has not changed and will not change: I will restore it! A nation as blessed as ours has no business abandoning its citizens to hardship. Nigeria is rich enough to look after her own.
I believe the wealth of a nation is not measured by how… pic.twitter.com/SkNsIllCNW
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) August 25, 2026
The presidency has previously accused Atiku of confusion over his position on petrol subsidy, saying his latest comments show he is “simply playing politics with the temporary discomfort Nigerians face.”
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said in a statement on Wednesday that Nigerians had heard three different explanations from Atiku’s camp within one week on what his administration would do about petrol subsidy.
“This is not merely a matter of semantics. It is a serious policy contradiction and confusion,” Onanuga said.
