Atiku Promises to Bring Back Fuel Subsidy If Elected in 2027

(Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Photo by Tribune Online)
ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has repeated his promise to restore the petrol subsidy if he wins the 2027 election.

In a post online, on Monday, he wrote, "My position stands! I will restore subsidy to make life easier and more affordable for Nigerians."

A campaign video shared with the post said petrol now sells for more than N1,300 a litre and pointed to cheaper fuel in oil producing countries such as Libya, Iran, Venezuela, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

It said the proposed support would apply only to petrol made by local refineries, and only until those refineries can run without government help.

President Bola Tinubu removed the subsidy when he took office in May 2023, saying the government could no longer afford it and would put the savings into infrastructure, education, healthcare and jobs.

Atiku has been a strong critic of that move and made the subsidy's return a central part of his campaign.

At his party's campaign launch in Sokoto on 4 November, he also promised to reopen land borders for legitimate trade and deal with insecurity.

Atiku's candidacy is in doubt, though.

A Federal High Court in Abuja nullified his nomination on 5 November.

The ADC has appealed the ruling and asked for a stay of execution.