Former All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank, has accused President Bola Tinubu of adopting a proposal previously associated with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar following the Federal Government’s introduction of a 30-day petrol discount.
Frank urged Tinubu to apologise to Nigerians for the hardship caused by petrol subsidy removal in 2023 and to Atiku for criticising his proposal to restore the subsidy.
In a statement on Friday, Frank said the government’s decision to offer petrol at cost price at Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited retail outlets raised questions about its earlier position on subsidy removal.
The Federal Government announced the temporary discount on Thursday, with priority given to public transport operators, as part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising petrol prices.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the arrangement was not a return to subsidy but an offer to sell petrol at cost for an initial period of 30 days.
Frank, however, argued that the distinction did not change the need for the government to acknowledge the economic difficulties Nigerians had faced since the policy was introduced.
“We expect Tinubu and his government to first apologise to Atiku Abubakar for their previous attacks on his proposal to restore the fuel subsidy if he were elected President,” he said.
He also urged the administration to recognise Atiku’s proposal as a possible response to the country’s economic challenges.
“Rather than dismissing his proposal, the government should recognise its potential to provide relief to Nigerians who are struggling with the prevailing economic situation,” Frank added.
Atiku reiterated his support for restoring the petrol subsidy in August, declaring that his position on the issue had not changed.
The Presidency had previously questioned the fiscal and legal implications of the proposal, including how a restored subsidy would avoid the problems associated with the former arrangement.
Frank said the latest intervention suggested a shift in the government’s approach, arguing that the administration should explain why a temporary discount was necessary after insisting on the removal of the subsidy.
“Simply put, Tinubu, who maintained a hardline stance on fuel subsidy removal, has gone back to his vomit,” he said.
He added that the consequences of higher petrol prices had extended beyond transport costs to affect food prices, business operations and household spending.
Frank questioned whether the 30-day arrangement would provide meaningful relief, asking the government to clarify the number of participating NNPC outlets, the volume of discounted petrol available and its plans after the scheme expires.
He maintained that Nigerians needed a sustainable response to rising living costs rather than a temporary intervention.
Frank also warned that the government should not expect the discount to erase public dissatisfaction over the economic effects of subsidy removal.
He called on Tinubu to apologise to Nigerians and provide a long-term plan to ease the pressure of fuel and transportation costs on households and businesses.
Discussion0