Atiku, You Also Said In 2023 That You Would Remove Subsidy If Voted In, So What Has Changed?- Raimi

Dr Taofiq Raimi, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, has questioned calls for the restoration of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy, challenging former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to explain why his position on the policy should be viewed differently from the current administration’s approach.

Raimi made the remarks during an appearance on Politics HQ, following a discussion about growing demands for the Federal Government to reconsider fuel subsidy removal as a way of easing the financial burden on Nigerians.

According to a video published by News Central on Monday, October 26, 2026, the APC campaign council member argued that those advocating a return to the subsidy system should explain how their proposals differ from the positions they previously held.

He specifically referred to Atiku Abubakar, who contested the 2023 presidential election and is identified in the report as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

During the programme, the presenter asked Raimi to respond to suggestions that reinstating fuel subsidies could provide relief to citizens struggling with high petrol prices and the rising cost of living.

The discussion followed comments by David Itopa of the ADC, who reportedly advocated bringing back the subsidy while addressing financial leakages and improving transparency in the management of public funds. Mark Adebayo, associated with the Adebayo-Bugaje campaign, also argued that measures could be introduced to make petrol more affordable.

Responding to these proposals, Raimi questioned the consistency of politicians who now support subsidy restoration, particularly those who had previously expressed support for removing the policy.

He cited Atiku’s position during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, arguing that the former vice president had also promised to eliminate the subsidy if elected.

In his remarks, Raimi said: “Anyone who is saying that, including those who said they were going to remove it before, you understand, even the former Vice President of the country, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar of the ADC now.

“In 2023, at the wake of 2023, he also said he was going to remove subsidy if he was voted in. So what has changed? These are confused people. They do not even understand the depth of the problem that the president inherited.”

When asked whether his assessment also covered the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Raimi explained that the problems had accumulated over several administrations rather than emerging under a single government.

On the question of petrol prices, the APC campaign council member expressed optimism that costs could decline if domestic refining capacity expanded sufficiently to meet more of Nigeria’s fuel demand.

He identified the refineries operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), modular refinery operators and the Dangote refinery as important components of the country’s efforts to increase local fuel production.

Watch headline quotes from (37:16 – 37:29)

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