*Says Atiku’s subsidy plan failed under Obasanjo
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Presidency has dismissed the high expectations surrounding the bid for the presidency by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, saying governance is not achieved through magic.
This follows its criticism of the plan by the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to subsidise crude for local refineries, saying the model failed when implemented under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
While criticising Obi’s leadership record and suitability for higher office in a post on his X handle yesterday, the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, argued that Obi’s supporters appeared to expect him to perform a miracle at the national level, despite what he described as the former Anambra State governor’s lack of governance pedigree.
“How?” Onanuga asked, before stressing: “Governance is not by magic.”
According to the presidential aide, anyone aspiring to become a national leader must have a record of governance to demonstrate the capacity to perform at a higher level.
Onanuga described Obi as “simply overhyped and overrated,” and alleged that he was “clueless.”
He also criticised Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra State, describing him as a “spectacular failure” in office.
The presidential aide further faulted Obi over what he described as inconsistencies in his political positions.
“He changes his positions like a chameleon,” Onanuga said.
He also alleged that Obi’s worldview was shaped by his supporters on social media, saying, “his worldview is dictated by his mob on social media.”
Presidency: Atiku’s Subsidy Plan Failed under Obasanjo
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on digital and new media, Otega Ogra, has faulted Atiku’s plan to subsidise crude oil for local refineries, saying the model failed under former President Obasanjo’s administration.
Reacting to the proposal by the former vice-president for a production subsidy for local refineries, Ogra wrote on X (Twitter): “Excuse me, sir. Nigeria already tried your production-subsidy-to-local-refineries idea while you were Vice President. We know the shambolic results of that production subsidy. You know it too.”
Ogra said Warri refinery’s utilisation fell to 14.27 per cent in 2003 and 9.1 per cent in 2004, while Kaduna refinery recorded 15.96 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively.
He said Port Harcourt refinery’s utilisation also dropped from 60.73 per cent in 2001 to 31.04 per cent in 2004.
“Meanwhile, the price of petrol more than tripled by 2004 and nearly quadrupled by the time you left office despite your production subsidy to local refiners.
“On October 9, 2003, your same administration cancelled the discount itself through Presidential directive PRES/158.
“President Obasanjo ordered NNPC to pay full international price for refinery crude. Your production subsidy was tried, failed and scrapped, with you as vice president.
“So, before selling Nigerians this failed production subsidy policy again, answer one simple question.
“I know there are many Nigerians who were too young to know what was happening then. But if you may tell them, where is the evidence that it worked the first time?
“It’s still the same theory you practiced then, and we haven’t changed the country yet.
“One thing we already have is the failed results of that experiment, Alhaji.”
Atiku’s Aide Faults Presidency’s Response on Subsidy
In a related development, Atiku’s media aide, Eta Uso, has faulted the Presidency over its response to Atiku’s recent proposal on production subsidy.
Uso, in a statement issued yesterday, said Onanuga’s response focused more on references to Atiku than on the substance of the policy proposal.
“We gave you a policy argument. Instead of engaging it intelligently, you reached for ‘veteran presidential candidate’ and recycled a claim your colleague had already pushed,” Uso said.
Uso argued that a presidential spokesman’s responsibility was to explain and defend government policies rather than focus on an opposition politician.
“Your job should be to explain and defend your government’s policies,” he said.
He added that repeated responses from the Presidency to Atiku’s interventions could further draw public attention to the former Vice-President’s policy positions.
According to Uso, each response to Atiku’s proposals created an opportunity for wider public discussion of the differences between the former Vice-President’s position and the federal government’s.
“If Atiku can announce one policy idea and send the Presidency into a full day of rebuttals… then neither you nor I should pretend there is any confusion about who is driving the national conversation,” he said.
Uso said he remained open to further exchanges with Onanuga, arguing that continued official responses would keep Atiku’s proposals in the public domain.