Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Friday urged President Bola Tinubu to lower petrol prices and ease the cost of living for Nigerians, warning against government reliance on palliatives to offset economic hardship.
Speaking at a news conference at his Abuja residence, Atiku said the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023 had driven up transportation, food and production costs without adequate protections for households, workers, farmers and businesses. “For more than three years, that burden has travelled from the petrol station to the bus stop, from the bus stop to the market, and from the market to the family dining table,” he said.
The former vice president and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate said Tinubu should not reject policy ideas simply because they came from a political opponent, offering to make his own proposals available. “He should just take the idea, rename it if he wishes, and even take the credit. What matters to me is that Nigerians pay less,” Atiku said.
He criticized what he called excessive reliance on palliatives, saying such measures address symptoms rather than root causes. “Do not make life unbearable and then distribute bags of rice as evidence of compassion,” he said. “Palliatives manage pain. Good policy addresses the source of the pain.”
Atiku also warned against repeating the subsidy removal experience with electricity, citing plans to phase out electricity subsidies from 2027, and urged Tinubu to use his remaining time in office to bring relief to Nigerian households and businesses.
