Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and former vice president, has again criticised President Bola Tinubu over his stance on fuel subsidy removal ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, on Tuesday, Atiku described Tinubu as the “Egypt” Nigerians would not want to return to.
His reaction comes amid the Tinubu administration’s firm stance against restoring fuel subsidies, with the President likening a return to the subsidy regime to Moses returning to Egypt.
Reacting, Atiku said the administration’s remarks showed how little Tinubu understood the suffering of Nigerians.
“Bola, you are the Egypt Nigerians are desperate to escape. You celebrate the day you made fuel more expensive, then lecture families struggling to pay for food and transport about why they must never go back.
“Stop pointing to Egypt as though it lies behind us. For millions of Nigerians, Egypt is the hunger, fear and indignity they are living through under you,” Atiku said.
DAILY POST reports that while Tinubu has defended the removal, Atiku has vowed to restore fuel subsidy if elected President on January 16, 2027.
Apart from Atiku, 16 other presidential candidates, including Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, and Prince Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, are seeking to unseat Tinubu in 2027.
Recall that in May 2023, Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy with his famous declaration, “Fuel subsidy is gone.”
The development led to a surge in petrol prices, raising the cost of living for millions of Nigerians.
Fuel subsidy: 'You are the Egypt Nigerians want to escape’ - Atiku tells Tinubu