Atiku’s fuel subsidy position exposes tensions within Tinubu’s administration — Austin Okai

Public affairs analyst and human rights advocate, Hon. Austin Usman Okai, has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s call for a rethink of fuel subsidy policy as a major political and economic challenge to President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

Okai, in a statement on Monday, said the renewed debate over fuel subsidy had exposed unresolved questions about the management of the savings reportedly generated following the removal of the subsidy.

According to him, the controversy goes beyond whether subsidy should be restored or permanently discontinued, arguing that it is fundamentally about accountability, transparency and the economic welfare of Nigerians facing rising fuel prices and a worsening cost of living.

“Atiku has dealt a significant political blow to the Tinubu administration by reopening the conversation on fuel subsidy. The question Nigerians are asking is simple: if subsidy was removed and the government has consistently spoken about the enormous savings generated, where exactly have those savings gone?”

Okai noted that the reactions from the Presidency, ministers and other government officials showed that Atiku’s intervention had touched a sensitive political and economic issue.

“Tinubu has responded. Ministers are responding. Presidential aides are reacting. This level of response shows that the issue has touched a very important political and economic nerve within the administration,” he said.

He argued that Nigerians deserved a comprehensive account of the financial gains from subsidy removal, including the amount saved, how the funds had been deployed, the projects financed with the savings and the extent to which ordinary citizens had benefited.

Okai maintained that the government could not continue to demand sacrifices from Nigerians over high fuel prices without providing convincing evidence that the policy was delivering tangible improvements in their lives.

“The Nigerian people are not asking for propaganda. They are asking for accountability. They want to know what happened to the money saved from subsidy removal and why, despite the promised benefits, millions of Nigerians are still struggling with unprecedented economic hardship,” he stated.

He stressed that any decision on whether to restore, redesign or retain fuel subsidy should be guided by economic realities and the welfare of Nigerians rather than partisan political interests.

“Whether subsidy should be restored, redesigned or permanently removed is a matter that must be determined by sound economic reasoning, transparency and the welfare of the people. Nigerians deserve a policy that reduces hardship, protects vulnerable citizens and strengthens the economy,” Okai added.

The opposition figure therefore challenged the Tinubu administration to publish a transparent account of the savings from subsidy removal and how the funds had been utilised.

He insisted that accountability must come before further demands for economic sacrifice from Nigerians, urging citizens to pay close attention to the emerging debate, which he described as an important test of the administration’s commitment to transparency, economic responsibility and the welfare of the people.