By Jelili Gbadamosi
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the Federal Government’s 30-day fuel price discount, accusing the administration of adopting his proposed approach to fuel subsidy reform without including what he described as the key elements.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), made the allegation while reacting to the government’s decision to introduce the temporary discount at NNPCL filling stations nationwide.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, had earlier announced the 30-day discount as part of measures to ease the impact of fuel prices on Nigerians.
However, Atiku claimed that the initiative was derived from his earlier proposal for a production subsidy following the removal of fuel subsidies.
Speaking in a video shared with journalists, the former vice president mocked Tinubu for allegedly adopting his idea without implementing the broader policy framework he proposed.
He argued that the government’s decision to offer a temporary discount did not address the structural issues surrounding fuel pricing and subsidy removal.
Atiku said the administration had “borrowed” his idea but failed to implement what he described as the essential components needed to make the policy effective.
He further used the analogy of a student copying an examination answer to criticise the president, adding that the government should have implemented the complete proposal rather than introducing what he described as an incomplete version.
The former vice president also questioned the sustainability of the 30-day discount and urged the administration to address the broader economic challenges affecting Nigerians.
