President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his proposal to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027, describing the position as evidence of what he called a lack of understanding of governance and the economy.
Tinubu made the remarks while receiving Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, following Adeleke’s victory in the August 15 governorship election.
The President said Atiku’s proposal demonstrated “serious ignorance about governance and the economy”, while defending his administration’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy.
Tinubu argued that the subsidy regime had imposed a significant financial burden on the country and said returning to it would undermine the economic reforms implemented by his administration.
The President also recalled the financial difficulties faced by states before he assumed office, saying many state governments struggled to meet their obligations, including the payment of workers’ salaries.
Tinubu’s comments came a day after Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, announced his intention to introduce a new fuel subsidy model if elected in 2027.
Atiku has argued that Nigerians should benefit from the savings generated by the removal of subsidy and questioned the government’s handling of the funds previously spent on petrol subsidies.
The Presidency has separately challenged Atiku to explain how he would finance a return to subsidy, arguing that the policy would put additional pressure on government finances.
Tinubu’s administration removed the petrol subsidy in 2023, one of the earliest and most consequential decisions of his presidency.
The reform has helped improve government finances and attracted support from investors and international lenders, according to Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele. However, the policy has also contributed to severe cost-of-living pressures for Nigerian households.
The disagreement over subsidy is now emerging as one of the key economic issues likely to dominate the 2027 presidential campaign.
While Atiku is presenting subsidy intervention as a means of reducing the burden on Nigerians, the Tinubu administration maintains that returning to the old system would be financially unsustainable.
The exchange between the two politicians signals the increasingly sharp economic debate expected as the 2027 presidential contest gathers momentum.