The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the Presidency’s criticism of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to reduce petrol prices to about N600 per litre.
According to Daily Post, the ADC said the proposal should not be mistaken for a return to the old fuel subsidy system. The party described it as a controlled intervention designed to support local refining and make petrol more affordable for Nigerians.
The ADC made the clarification on Monday while responding to the Presidency’s claim that Atiku’s proposal could cost the Federal Government about N19.1 trillion every year.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, challenged the basis of that calculation. He argued that the Presidency relied on assumptions that were not part of Atiku’s proposal.
According to the ADC, the government’s calculation used an assumed crude oil price of $80 per barrel and a $40-per-barrel subsidy difference. The party said Atiku’s proposal did not contain those figures. It therefore described the N19.1 trillion estimate as a “phantom figure.”
The ADC said Atiku’s plan is focused on supporting domestic refineries rather than bringing back the petrol subsidy system that existed before its removal. The party explained that the proposed intervention would provide limited support to local refiners.
It said the arrangement would also have a clear fiscal limit and proper monitoring. The goal, according to the ADC, is to increase domestic petrol production and reduce the cost of getting the product to consumers.
The party believes greater local refining could also reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products. It argued that this could help the country conserve foreign exchange while strengthening energy security.
The ADC also stressed that cheaper petrol would have an impact beyond filling stations. Higher fuel prices affect transportation, food distribution and business operations. They can also increase the cost of moving farm produce from rural communities to major markets.
The party said these additional costs eventually affect consumers because businesses often transfer higher operating expenses to customers. It therefore believes that reducing petrol prices could provide relief for households, transport operators and businesses.
The ADC also questioned the Federal Government’s position on incentives within the petroleum industry. Abdullahi argued that government support for oil production and other activities in the sector should not automatically be considered different from the kind of intervention proposed by Atiku.
The party said the focus should be on whether a policy can deliver measurable benefits to Nigerians. Meanwhile, the disagreement comes more than three years after President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023.
The decision triggered a sharp rise in petrol prices and increased transportation costs across the country. The Federal Government has continued to defend the policy. Officials have argued that subsidy removal reduced the financial burden on government and freed resources for other priorities.
Atiku, however, has maintained that Nigerians need relief from high energy costs. The former Vice President has previously spoken about restoring petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027. However, his latest proposal has been presented by the ADC as a different approach focused on domestic production.
The party wants Nigerians to distinguish between supporting local refining and returning to the previous import-based subsidy system. The ADC argued that the former arrangement required government to continually absorb part of the cost of imported petrol.
Atiku’s proposal, as explained by the party, would instead support domestic production within a controlled framework. The ADC also said cheaper petrol could have wider economic benefits. Transport operators could spend less on fuel, while businesses could reduce some of their distribution expenses.
Farmers could also benefit from lower transportation costs when moving agricultural products to markets. The party believes such savings could help reduce pressure on the prices of food and other essential goods.
However, the Presidency has raised concerns about the cost and sustainability of Atiku’s proposal. The government has argued that any policy involving public funds must clearly explain how much it would cost and how the funding would be sustained.
The disagreement has now become part of the wider political debate ahead of the 2027 general election. For the ADC, however, the issue is not simply about bringing back fuel subsidy. The party insists that Nigeria needs a policy that can lower petrol prices while encouraging domestic refining.
It also called for greater transparency in petroleum-related government spending. According to the ADC, Nigerians deserve to understand how public funds are being used and what benefits they receive from government interventions.
The party has therefore challenged the Presidency to focus on the details of Atiku’s proposal instead of relying on what it considers a hypothetical N19.1 trillion calculation. The ADC maintained that the proposal is a controlled production-support policy, not a return to the former subsidy regime.
It said the broader objective is to increase local refining, reduce petrol prices and ease the economic pressure facing Nigerians. As the argument continues, the major challenge remains how Nigeria can deliver cheaper petrol without recreating the financial problems linked to the former subsidy system.
For now, the ADC insists that supporting local refining offers a more sustainable route to lower fuel prices than returning to the old subsidy arrangement.
Elom Fortunate Chiemerie is junior staff at modern crux that covers news on international politics, sports news and entertainment News
