A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kola Ologbondiyan, has criticized the Federal Government’s fuel subsidy removal, arguing that the policy is placing increasing pressure on Nigerians and could ultimately have a damaging effect on the administration of President Bola Tinubu
Ologbondiyan made the remarks on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday while defending the position of the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on the government’s fuel subsidy policy
The debate over the subsidy has intensified between supporters of Atiku and the Tinubu administration, after the President announced the removal of the petrol subsidy during his inauguration at Eagle Square in 2023
Ologbondiyan said Atiku’s position should not be interpreted as a proposal to return the country to the previous subsidy system
“Let me start on a very clean note, which is that nobody is returning Nigeria to the old system. Nobody is contemplating that, not the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Nobody is.
“I have always told the Tinubu administration to review the subsidy regime. I did declare that the removal of the subsidy would hurt Nigerians and the Tinubu administration more.
“So, what is Atiku talking about? Atiku is saying that if you look at the cost of production, from production to the end user, there must be areas that are reviewable in the hope of reducing the cost of production, in a manner that will enable end users to buy their products at a lower price, compared with the strangulating situation Nigerians are currently passing through.
“These are the issues, and not all these political arguments that I want to take you back to those times when they were doing corruption.
“Now, what is happening is that all the issues that were subsequently raised about the subsidy removal, have they been able to fulfil them? The situation has forced Nigerians and has brought everybody to their knees. So, what are we saying—that the situation is static, that it’s not reviewable?
“Atiku’s programme differs from what they are saying. I’m not sure they even have the patience to study what the man is proposing.
“They don’t have the patience to do that. We were buying fuel for about N200 or less before May 29, 2023, but today we are buying fuel for N1,300.
“I’m not good at mathematics, but those who are good at it have done the analysis and told us the percentage increase, which is taking a toll on Nigerians.
Ologbondiyan also challenged the criticism of Atiku’s current position, arguing that the Tinubu camp had itself campaigned on subsidy reforms before taking office
“So, I also find it laughable that Atiku said this in 2023 but is now changing his position. What do they take Nigerians for?
“Didn’t the President’s camp, before they came into office, campaign against subsidy removal? Didn’t they come into government on account of subsidy reforms? So, I don’t understand where they are coming from.”
He maintained that the focus should be on identifying areas within the fuel production and distribution chain where costs could be reduced, rather than framing the debate solely as a choice between retaining or abolishing subsidies
Ologbondiyan’s comments come amid renewed political arguments over the economic consequences of petrol subsidy removal and competing proposals on how Nigeria can reduce the burden of fuel costs on households and businesses ahead of the 2027 elections
