Nigerian Groups Reject Atiku Abubakar's Fuel Subsidy Proposal

Youth and student organizations in Nigeria have rejected a proposal by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to reinstate fuel subsidies. Babatunde Akinteye, National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, argued at a summit in Akure that the subsidy regime was financially unsustainable for four decades and frequently caused fuel scarcity. He urged the public to demand accountability for how the government utilizes the funds saved from the removal.

Udengs Eradiri, former President of the Ijaw Youth Council, also dismissed the proposal, stating the subsidy failed to provide relief to citizens. Eradiri urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invest those savings into rehabilitating government-owned refineries to lower petrol prices through increased domestic production. He further called for the enforcement of a Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy to prevent state governors from controlling council funds.

The debate has split political parties. The All Progressives Congress criticized the proposal, with National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda warning that restoring the subsidy could threaten the current minimum wage. Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress challenged the federal government to account for 15.8 trillion Naira in additional revenue accrued from the economic reforms.