Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, lambasted former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his new stance on petrol subsidy.
During an interactive session on day one of the campaign for the 2027 elections, Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, vowed to restore the petrol subsidy if elected.
The ADC presidential flagbearer accused Tinubu of failing to account for the funds saved from the removal of petrol subsidy.
But in a swift reaction, Wike told journalists in Abuja on Thursday, that Atiku is desperate and ready to do anything to win the presidency.
The FCT Minister said, “Atiku Abubakar, who is confused and a voodoo economist, will say anything just to be president.
“In 2022, he said he would remove the fuel subsidy because it was a fraud. Is he going back to the fraud that he had alleged was the fuel subsidy?
“We should be consistent in what we say to our people because that is what leadership is all about.”
Wike argued that consistency was essential for anyone seeking to lead the country, accusing Atiku of changing his position depending on the political circumstances.
“Leadership is not you coming out, you say one thing now in the morning, in the afternoon you say a different thing, in the night you are talking of a different thing. That is not it,” he said.
He pointed to the commercialisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the emergence of private refineries, particularly the Dangote Refinery.
Wike noted that NNPCL is no longer the sole importer or producer of petroleum products, making the traditional subsidy arrangement more complicated.
He added, “He is living in the past. If not, he will know that with the Petroleum Industry Act, NNPC is now fully commercialised. It has transformed the old NNPC into a limited liability company (NNPC Limited), and no longer the sole importer or producer of fuel.
“Will Atiku, as President (which he never be) pay subsidy on fuel produced by Dangote Refinery?”
The Minister argued that restoring fuel subsidies would reverse the market-oriented reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act and could discourage investment in the petroleum sector.
Wike maintained that instead of promising to restore the subsidy, Atiku should explain how he would deploy the savings generated from its removal if he still supports the policy.
