President Bola Tinubu has criticised former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his plan to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027.
Tinubu described the proposal as a demonstration of what he called “serious ignorance” of governance and economic management. He made the remarks on Thursday while receiving Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The President argued that returning to the previous subsidy regime would undermine the financial gains of his administration’s decision to remove the subsidy in 2023.
According to Tinubu, several state governments were struggling to pay workers’ salaries and meet pension obligations before the subsidy was removed, leaving them heavily dependent on federal allocations.
“I saw one of my opponents now say he will go back to subsidy. I read it. That is a demonstration of serious ignorance on governance and economy,” Tinubu said.
Atiku, however, has defended his position, arguing that Nigerians should not continue to bear the burden of policies that have worsened the cost-of-living crisis.
The former vice president has proposed a different subsidy model targeted at domestic refining, with spending capped and independently monitored, rather than a return to the former broad import-subsidy arrangement.
The exchange comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the economy and cost of living expected to remain major issues in the campaign.
