‘Atiku’s fuel subsidy proposal will return Nigeria to corruption era’

File: An All Progressives Congress chieftain and petroleum marketer in Kebbi State, Aminullah Mustapha

An All Progressives Congress chieftain and petroleum marketer in Kebbi State, Aminullah Mustapha, has criticised the proposal by the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027.

Mustapha argued that reintroducing the subsidy would take Nigeria back to a system he described as wasteful, opaque and vulnerable to massive abuse.

He made the remarks in a statement issued to journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.

The APC chieftain, who said his experience in the petroleum business gave him an insight into the operations of the former subsidy regime, alleged that billions of naira were lost through fraudulent claims, diversion of petroleum products and payments to entities that failed to deliver.

“During the subsidy regime, a lot of funds allocated to oil marketers were not going to the designated areas. Funds were allocated to bogus marketers to transport oil tankers, but they ended up collecting the money without transporting any oil,” he alleged.

Mustapha also alleged that some petroleum products financed under the subsidy scheme were diverted to neighbouring countries, including Niger Republic and Benin Republic.

“Some oil tankers which were paid for under the subsidy regime ended up in neighbouring countries such as Niger and Benin Republic. This means other countries were benefiting from the subsidy that was meant for Nigerians,” he said.

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The APC chieftain further alleged that some depot owners were paid for imported petroleum products before the products arrived in the country, with some allegedly failing to deliver the products for which they had received payment.

“There are allegations that some depot owners were paid for imported petroleum products but failed to bring the products into the country. In some cases, they allegedly received payment before the imported products arrived in Nigeria,” he said.

Mustapha described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s removal of the subsidy as a bold decision aimed at ending the alleged leakages associated with the system.

“President Tinubu was courageous and honest with Nigerians by removing the subsidy. Many Nigerian leaders, including Atiku Abubakar, know that the subsidy regime was marred by corruption, but because of political desperation, they do not want to tell Nigerians the truth,” he insisted.

He urged Nigerians to critically examine proposals to restore fuel subsidy, saying the country should not return to a system that, in his view, allowed public resources to be diverted while ordinary citizens continued to bear the consequences.

Mustapha called instead for policies that would strengthen domestic refining, improve transparency in the petroleum sector, reduce dependence on imported fuel and provide targeted relief to Nigerians affected by rising living costs.