APC Chairman Yilwatda Faults Atiku’s Proposal to Restore Petrol Subsidy
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to reverse the removal of petrol subsidy, describing it as a policy U-turn that raises questions about the opposition’s readiness to govern.
Yilwatda made the remarks during a visit to the headquarters of the City Boy Movement in Abuja, where he inspected the organisation’s facilities and held discussions with its leadership.
The APC chairman argued that Nigerians deserve more than election-season promises, stressing that any proposal to restore petrol subsidy must be subjected to thorough scrutiny given the significant fiscal burden and economic distortions associated with the previous subsidy regime.
According to him, the opposition has been repeatedly challenged over the past three years to present a clear and convincing alternative to the policies of the APC-led administration, but has yet to provide one capable of addressing the country’s economic challenges.
Yilwatda questioned the timing of Atiku’s proposal, coming months ahead of the 2027 general elections, and asked how a restored subsidy regime would be financed and sustained without recreating the fiscal pressures that prompted its removal.
He maintained that the removal of petrol subsidy was a difficult but necessary economic decision, while acknowledging the need for stronger measures to cushion its impact on Nigerians.
The APC chairman called for increased social interventions, greater support for vulnerable households and stronger investment in productive sectors to help citizens cope with the effects of the reforms.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda said responsible leadership required taking difficult decisions in the national interest rather than relying on politically attractive promises.
He further maintained that economic policies should be guided by sustainability, fiscal responsibility and their long-term impact on the Nigerian economy, rather than short-term electoral considerations.
APC Chairman Yilwatda Faults Atiku’s Proposal to Restore Petrol Subsidy