Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reacted to an SBM Intelligence survey indicating that 67.4 per cent of respondents want the Federal Government to restore petrol subsidy.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, on Tuesday, Atiku described the survey outcome as a damning public verdict on the administration’s decision to remove the subsidy.
The former vice president said the findings showed growing dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of petrol pricing and the wider cost-of-living crisis.
Atiku argued that the 67.4 per cent figure represented more than an economic statistic, saying it reflected increasing public demand for immediate relief from the financial pressures associated with the subsidy removal.
“This survey is no longer merely about economic policy. It has become a democratic question. When an overwhelming majority of Nigerians declare that a government policy is destroying their lives, responsible leadership must listen,” Atiku said.
He further criticised the impact of the subsidy removal, citing rising transportation and food costs, business closures, declining purchasing power and increasing financial pressure on households.
“For three and a half harrowing years, Nigerians have suffered under Tinubu’s reckless ‘subsidy is gone’ experiment. Transport costs have exploded. Food prices have soared. Businesses have collapsed. Purchasing power has been destroyed, and millions of families have been pushed deeper into poverty.
“The survey simply confirms what Nigerians already know: Tinubu’s fuel policy has caused far more harm than good. The policy has been rejected, and the government responsible for it must also be rejected,” Atiku added.
CSO News 24 reports that Atiku had previously proposed the return of fuel subsidy. President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking re-election in 2027, has, however, maintained that restoring petrol subsidy would lead to more hardship for Nigerians.
