The African Democratic Congress (ADC) 2027 presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu, saying what Nigerians need is cheaper fuel to bring down the cost of living, and not empty promises.

The former Vice President, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said Tinubu’s admission that only about 120,000 vehicles have been converted to CNG in more than three years is an acceptance of policy failure.

According to him, 120,000 of an estimated 14 million vehicles on Nigerian roads amount to less than one per cent.

This is as Atiku disagreed with Tinubu that “Cheaper fuel should result in cheaper fares,” and said it is a confession that the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration’s energy policy has been disconnected from the daily survival of Nigerians.

“Tinubu removed subsidy without a credible cushioning framework, watched transport costs explode, watched food prices follow, watched businesses suffocate under crushing energy costs, and repeatedly told Nigerians that their suffering was the unavoidable price of reform.

“Now that elections are approaching, and Nigerians are rallying behind Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal for a production-based subsidy to immediately tackle the cost-of-living crisis created by Tinubu, the same government that ridiculed and criticised Atiku’s plan has suddenly discovered that Nigerians need cheaper transportation.

“This is medicine after death,” Atiku stated, and said that Tinubu, who created the transport crisis, cannot package CNG as the solution.

Atiku said CNG expansion may be desirable, but warned that an alternative fuel cannot be presented as the solution to a purchasing-power crisis.

“CNG can make a converted bus cheaper to operate. It cannot make a poor Nigerian richer,” he added.

The ADC candidate also criticised the proposed October 1, 2026 implementation date, adding, “Nigerians are hungry today. Transport is expensive today. Food is expensive today. Businesses are dying today.

“Why must relief arrive by appointment?”

He said Nigeria needs a targeted, transparent and fiscally capped subsidy linked to domestic production, deliberately designed to attack the cost-of-living crisis at its source.

“Fuel subsidy must return for struggling Nigerians, not the rich friends of the president and multinational companies, but a targeted production intervention that is transparently budgeted, independently audited and guarantees that the benefit reaches consumers.

“We will support domestic refining. We will track every barrel. We will cap the cost. We will reduce energy costs. And we will ensure that money and relief reaches the commuter, farmer, worker, trader and small business owner — not politically connected middlemen,” the former vice president promised.

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