Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing critique against President Bola Tinubu, urging him to halt the duplicitous narrative surrounding his administration’s stance on fuel subsidy.
In a strongly worded statement released from Abuja, Atiku exposed what he termed as a stark contradiction between President Tinubu’s public proclamation of abolishing fuel subsidy and the clandestine continuation of hefty subsidy payments under his leadership.
“At his inauguration on May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu made a grand announcement of the abolishment of fuel subsidy. Since then, it has been a cornerstone of pride for Tinubu and his administration,” Atiku declared, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
However, Atiku went on to reveal a stark reality hidden beneath the veneer of official proclamations. Despite the touted abolition of fuel subsidy, he disclosed that the Tinubu administration has been surreptitiously funneling trillions of Naira into subsidizing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), better known as petrol.
Expressing his deep-seated concern over the lack of transparency surrounding the subsidy regime, Atiku pressed for clarity on the government’s fiscal commitments and the consequential impact of subsidy reforms on the Federation Accounts.
“Nigeria is not working, and what we have had in a little over a year is a cocktail of trial-and-error economic policies,” he emphasized.
The former Vice President did not mince words in condemning the clandestine nature of subsidy payments under Tinubu’s stewardship.
“Paying subsidies and lying about it is nothing to brag about. Nigerians deserve better than this deception,” he asserted vehemently.
Atiku also raised pertinent questions regarding the recent resurgence of fuel queues and the proliferation of black market activities for fuel.
“What is the implicit subsidy? If the subsidy regime had been characterized by opaqueness, what would we say of a situation where the subsidy is still being paid under the cover without Nigerians in the know?” he queried, challenging the government’s narrative.
Atiku underscored the urgent need for honesty and transparency in governance, urging President Tinubu to uphold the principles of accountability and integrity.
“Nigerians deserve better than this deception,” he reiterated passionately, emphasizing the paramount importance of truthfulness and sincerity in leadership.