Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the National Assembly to investigate the alleged secret petrol subsidy payments. In a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, on Thursday, Atiku urged the administration of President Bola Tinubu to take responsibility for its policies and their consequences by being transparent with Nigerians.
On Wednesday, Atiku accused Tinubu’s administration of misleading the public about its stance on petrol subsidies. He claimed that despite public statements about the removal of the subsidy, the administration has been secretly disbursing trillions of naira for this purpose. Atiku suggested that these payments under Tinubu’s leadership could total N5.4 trillion this year.
In response, the Presidency denied these claims, asserting that there are no plans to allocate N5.4 trillion for fuel subsidies in 2024. A statement from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, reiterated that the fuel subsidy era has ended.
However, Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of diverting public funds through covert petrol subsidies and refusing to disclose the expenditure. He argued that this secretive approach is deterring investments in the oil sector.
“The clandestine subsidy regime is one of the reasons investments in the oil sector have not materialized,” Atiku stated. He accused Tinubu of bringing the “shady nature” of running Lagos to the federal level, highlighting discrepancies in the administration’s statements and actions regarding subsidies. He cited reports from the World Bank and IMF, which indicate that Nigeria is still paying petrol subsidies, despite the government’s claims to the contrary.
Atiku emphasized the need for the National Assembly to prioritize investigating these subsidy payments instead of focusing on less important issues. “This denial suggests that money meant for the Federation Account, which should be shared with states and local governments, is being diverted without accountability,” he said. He urged the National Assembly to fulfill its oversight responsibilities and investigate the matter thoroughly, warning that neglecting this duty would reflect poorly on them in the eyes of posterity.
