Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s recent stance on the potential reinstatement of the fuel subsidy has placed President Bola Tinubu’s administration under severe political and economic pressure, according to African Democratic Congress (ADC) activist Austin Okai.
In a statement released on Monday in Abuja, Okai noted that the flurry of reactions from government ministers and presidential aides highlights the sensitivity of the issue. He argued that the emerging national debate extends beyond whether to restore the subsidy, centering instead on transparency, accountability, and the socio-economic burden borne by citizens amid soaring fuel prices and a rising cost of living.
According to the ADC stakeholder, the Federal Government must publish a complete and transparent account of all revenue saved since the subsidy was lifted, detailing how those funds have been deployed and specifying the projects or programmes funded as a result. He urged citizens to track the debate closely, calling it a vital test of the government’s commitment to public welfare, economic responsibility, and transparency.
“Atiku has dealt a significant political blow to the Tinubu administration by reopening the conversation on fuel subsidy. The question Nigerians are asking is simple: if subsidy was removed and the government has consistently spoken about the enormous savings generated, where exactly have those savings gone?” Okai said.
He further stressed that economic reality and the public good, rather than partisan politics, should dictate the direction of national energy policy.
“The Nigerian people are not asking for propaganda. They are asking for accountability. They want to know what happened to the money saved from subsidy removal and why, despite the promised benefits, millions of Nigerians are still struggling with unprecedented economic hardship,” he stated.
Okai maintained that the government must deliver full financial accountability before expecting further economic sacrifices from the public, insisting that any future decision on the subsidy, whether to restore, redesign, or permanently abolish it, must prioritise vulnerable citizens and economic stability.