By Hadiza Yusuf
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Faizu Alfindiki, has challenged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to explain how he would fund his promise to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027.
Alfindiki, in a statement made available to journalists in Kano on Friday, said Nigerians deserve clear answers on how a renewed subsidy regime would be financed without putting more pressure on government finances.
His reaction followed Atiku’s recent promise to restore the petrol subsidy, and he argued that Nigerians have not benefited enough from the savings generated by its removal.
According to Alfindiki, while it is reasonable for Nigerians to question how government revenues are being managed, restoring subsidy without explaining its funding would not provide a lasting solution.
“It is legitimate to question how government revenues are being managed, but it is equally important to acknowledge the economic consequences of returning to a subsidy regime. Nigerians deserve solutions that are sustainable, not policies designed primarily to win political arguments,” he said.
The former Chairman of Kano Municipal Local Government said the previous subsidy system placed a heavy burden on public finances and distorted the country’s petroleum market.
Alfindiki also questioned Atiku’s current position, noting that during the 2023 presidential campaign, the former vice president had proposed removing the petrol subsidy within his first 100 days in office if elected.
He argued that removing the subsidy was a difficult but necessary decision, although it should be accompanied by measures to protect vulnerable Nigerians and increase local production.
“Today, Atiku is presenting subsidy restoration as a solution, whereas his position before the 2023 election was that subsidy should be removed. Nigerians are entitled to ask what has changed and why,” he said.
He urged political leaders to move beyond arguments over whether subsidy should exist and instead focus on building an economy that makes fuel more affordable through domestic refining, improved infrastructure and stronger investment.
Alfindiki acknowledged that President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms had brought short-term hardship but said government officials and some economic observers had pointed to improvements in public finances and investment conditions.
He maintained that the President should be held accountable for how the savings from subsidy removal are used, but insisted that accountability should not mean returning to what he described as an unsustainable system.
“President Tinubu should be held accountable for how the savings and additional revenues are used. That accountability is important. But accountability should not be confused with returning Nigeria to a system that was financially unsustainable,” he added.
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