By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s criticism of NNPC Retail’s 30-day petrol price discount has been described as politically motivated, with the Presidency defending the Tinubu administration’s approach to managing global oil price fluctuations.
In a statement by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, said the intervention was a temporary price modulation strategy designed to cushion the impact of rising global crude oil prices on Nigerians.
Dr Dare argued that the initiative was not a return to the former fuel subsidy regime but a short-term measure to moderate price fluctuations and protect consumers from sudden increases in transport fares.
The statement also defended the administration’s broader economic reforms, citing the expansion of Compressed Natural Gas infrastructure, domestic refining arrangements and other measures aimed at improving energy security and reducing pressure on consumers.
The presidential aide maintained that the government’s removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange reforms were necessary to address longstanding structural challenges in the Nigerian economy.
He accused Atiku of proposing a production subsidy without adequately considering Nigeria’s available crude oil volumes, existing contractual obligations and the potential fiscal implications.
It urges Nigerians to assess the administration’s economic policies based on their long-term objectives, rather than what he described as politically driven criticism of temporary interventions.
