‘Serious Ignorance’ — Tinubu Fires Back at Atiku Over Promise to Bring Back Petrol Subsidy

President Bola Tinubu has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his pledge to restore petrol subsidy if elected president, describing the proposal as evidence of what he called “serious ignorance” of governance and the economy.

Tinubu spoke on Thursday while receiving re-elected Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, at the State House in Abuja.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, had promised to reverse the subsidy removal, arguing that the government had failed to account for the savings generated from the policy.

Responding to the proposal, Tinubu said the removal of the subsidy had significantly improved the finances of state governments and enabled them to meet obligations that were previously difficult to fulfil.

“I saw one of my opponents now say he will go back to subsidy. I read it. That is a demonstration of serious ignorance on governance and economy,” Tinubu said.

The President recalled that before his administration, many states struggled to pay workers’ salaries and pensions, arguing that increased allocations following the subsidy removal had strengthened their capacity to meet such obligations.

“Before I came here, 27 states were unable to pay salaries, not to even talk of pensioners, salary of workers. In your state, I know a man that I raised… who’s nicknamed ‘half salary’.

“They come to the federal, cap in hand, unable to do anything. The salaries you pay feed families. They (workers) are at the local governments; they are in the states. Where is the concentration of population? It is in the states,” Tinubu said.

He said the additional resources available to states should be translated into better living conditions through infrastructure development, education, healthcare, housing and other essential services.

Tinubu said state governments have a major responsibility in improving the welfare of Nigerians because they are closer to communities and directly responsible for many basic services.

Tinubu told Adeleke that increased resources available to states should translate into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary Nigerians, particularly through payment of salaries and investment in infrastructure and social services.

According to him, state governments bear substantial responsibility for the welfare of Nigerians because much of the population lives within communities where state and local governments are responsible for providing essential services.

“Take out the president, regard every other person as common men; they have families to feed.

“The infrastructure you embark upon, the road network, housing, school rehabilitation, resuscitation of healthcare, training of teachers, training of health workers to protect our vulnerable families – they’re part of your responsibilities,” he said.

Tinubu had announced the removal of petrol subsidy during his inauguration on May 29, 2023, with the policy subsequently leading to a sharp increase in fuel prices and living costs.

Atiku has since argued that the subsidy savings should have been channelled into development, security, education and poverty reduction, and pledged to restore the policy if elected.