The Presidency has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of taking contradictory positions on petrol subsidy, saying three different explanations from his camp within one week demonstrate a lack of clarity and amount to “playing politics” with a sensitive economic issue.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Presidency questioned whether Atiku was presenting a serious economic policy or merely responding to the “temporary discomfort Nigerians face.”
It highlighted what it described as conflicting positions from Atiku and his aides.
Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, had said Atiku would restore petrol subsidy if elected but eventually phase it out as a temporary intervention to help Nigerians and businesses recover.
However, another senior aide, Phrank Shaibu, subsequently described Ibe’s position as an “unauthorised and misleading characterisation.” He said there would be no predetermined timeline for ending the subsidy, which would remain until domestic refining capacity expands, supply stabilises, competition deepens and the market can deliver affordable prices without government support.
Atiku later intervened, insisting that his position “has not changed” and declaring that he would restore what he described as a “targeted subsidy” if elected.
“I will restore targeted subsidy and put purchasing power back in the hands of Nigerians,” he said.
The Presidency said the differing explanations were “not merely a matter of semantics” but represented a serious policy contradiction.
It questioned why one aide described the proposed subsidy as temporary, another tied its removal to market conditions, while Atiku himself reaffirmed the original position.
The Presidency also argued that petrol prices are influenced by several factors beyond subsidy, including international crude oil prices, exchange rates, refining costs, transportation and distribution.
It further referenced Atiku’s claim that his proposed subsidy would “follow the barrel of crude,” noting that petrol accounts for about 45 per cent of a refined crude oil barrel, while the remaining products include diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, asphalt, lubricants and petrochemical feedstock.
It questioned whether Atiku’s proposed subsidy would also cover products such as diesel and kerosene, and how refineries receiving discounted crude would account for profits from the remaining 55 per cent of refined products.
The Presidency urged Atiku to clarify his position and present Nigerians with what it described as a coherent, costed and workable petroleum policy.
“We therefore urge Atiku to stop shifting positions and be honest with Nigerians: either he has a coherent, costed, and workable petroleum policy, or he is simply playing politics with a policy that has significantly restored fiscal health to the three tiers of government and stabilised the macroeconomic environment,” it said.
It added that “the economy is too serious for policy somersaults, incoherence, destructive populism and election gimmicks.”