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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his reported plan to restore the fuel subsidy, accusing opposition politicians of changing their positions to win votes.
Wike made the remarks during a media parley in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while responding to Atiku’s recent comments on fuel subsidy and the emerging political debate ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike accused politicians of inconsistency, saying some change their positions to suit electoral interests rather than genuine policy convictions.
“Today the candidates say, no, this is not for me, I’m going to bring back the subsidy. I mean, what kind of candidates are those? ”
While responding to comments by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, on the management of the gains from subsidy removal, Wike said Obi’s position was wrong.
“Did you hear what Peter Obi said, what the opposition party said? That was wrong,” Wike said.
“All you should have asked, look, having removed subsidy, what gains? Or what did you do with the gains of it? That’s what I thought any reasonable person should talk about.”
According to Wike, the financial gains from the subsidy removal have been distributed among the federal, state and local governments, leaving each level of government to determine how the funds are used.
“And the government has come to say, listen, the gains were shared among sub-nationals and the government. Bola Tinubu has no power to say, state A, this is what I will do with the funds that you’ve gotten from the subsidy,” he said.
“Tinubu has no power to say, local government, this is what you must do with your money. You remember, all tiers of government are independent, right?”
Wike also argued that the increased revenue available to states following the subsidy removal had helped governments meet their financial obligations.
“Today the states are saying, unlike before, we can’t pay salaries, we can’t pay pensions, strikes all over the place,” he said.
“Are there strikes again now? They can tell you no.”
