Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has reiterated his commitment to restoring a targeted fuel subsidy if elected president in the 2027 general election, saying Nigerians should not be left to bear the burden of rising energy and living costs.

Atiku made the declaration while receiving the Osun State leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja on Tuesday.

The former vice-president said his position on fuel subsidy had not changed, noting that Nigeria, despite its economic challenges, had sufficient resources to protect its citizens from severe hardship.

“On the question of subsidy, my position has not changed and will not change: I will restore it! A nation as blessed as ours has no business abandoning its citizens to hardship. Nigeria is rich enough to look after her own,” Atiku said.

READ ALSO:

He said that the true measure of a nation’s wealth should not be based solely on how much revenue the government collects, but on the purchasing power of citizens.

According to Atiku, his proposed economic approach would focus on restoring the value of wages, reducing transportation costs for farmers, lowering the cost of living and creating an environment where businesses can produce, employ workers and prosper.

“I believe the wealth of a nation is not measured by how much government collects, but by how much the money in the pockets of its people can buy,” he said.

Atiku said he wanted Nigerian workers to regain the purchasing power of their wages while ensuring that farmers could transport their produce without transportation costs consuming their profits.

He also promised to support local production, reduce energy costs and improve the purchasing power of Nigerians if elected president.

The former vice-president said his proposed subsidy policy would be targeted and would not be designed to revive what he described as an import racket.

“I will not restore the import racket; I will restore relief,” Atiku said.

He explained that rising fuel prices have a ripple effect across the economy, as higher energy costs translate into increased transportation costs and subsequently higher food prices.

“When fuel rises, transport rises. When transport rises, food rises. When food rises, families suffer,” he said.

Atiku vowed to reverse what he described as the cycle of hardship Nigerians have experienced during the nearly four years of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He also promised to prioritise economic and physical security while making daily living more affordable for Nigerians.

“I will make the naira in your pocket worth more, make daily living affordable again, and secure our people,” Atiku said.

He added that his vision was to build a Nigeria where citizens enjoy economic security, physical security and a better quality of life.

Please follow and like us: