Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has urged President Bola Tinubu to apologise to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Nigerians over the removal of petrol subsidy, accusing the Federal Government of adopting an intervention similar to a proposal it had previously criticised.
Frank, in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, was reacting to the Federal Government’s announcement of a 30-day petrol discount at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) retail outlets, with priority given to public transport operators.
He argued that the temporary measure had exposed what he described as inconsistencies in the administration’s position on petrol subsidy, insisting that Nigerians deserved lasting relief from the economic hardship that followed the policy’s removal in 2023.
“We expect Tinubu and his government to first apologise to Atiku Abubakar for its previous attacks on his position to return fuel subsidy if voted into office as President.
“Secondly, he should commend him and thank him for what we consider an excellent proposal that could help address the current economic hardship facing Nigerians.
“Rather than dismissing his proposal, the government should recognise its potential to provide relief to Nigerians who are struggling with the prevailing economic situation.
“Any government genuinely committed to the welfare of the people should be willing to consider practical ideas that can ease their suffering, irrespective of who puts them forward,” he said.
The Federal Government announced the 30-day discount on Thursday as part of measures to cushion the impact of rising petrol prices.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the arrangement was not a return to subsidy but an offer to sell petrol at cost for an initial period of 30 days.
Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, however, questioned the distinction between the discount and the subsidy arrangement previously abolished by the administration, arguing that the new measure amounted to a reversal of its earlier hardline position.
“Simply put, Tinubu, who maintained a hardline stance on fuel subsidy removal, has gone back to his vomit,” he said.
He added: “The President must immediately apologise to Nigerians over the fuel subsidy removal now that he has realised his policy mistake, which has taken a huge toll on Nigerians economically since 2023.”
Frank also questioned whether the temporary intervention would provide meaningful relief to Nigerians who have struggled with rising transportation costs, food prices and shrinking purchasing power since the subsidy was removed.
He said the policy change in May 2023 had affected households and businesses across the country, with higher petrol prices feeding into the cost of transporting goods, running businesses and meeting basic household needs.
“For millions of Nigerians, the consequences of higher fuel prices have extended beyond the cost of filling a vehicle’s tank.
“Increased transport and logistics costs have put pressure on traders, manufacturers, farmers and small businesses, while households have had to contend with rising expenses for commuting, food and other necessities,” he said.
Frank argued that a 30-day discount could not reverse the cumulative effects of more than three years of economic pressure, particularly for workers and small-business owners whose earnings had struggled to keep pace with rising living costs.
He also raised questions about the scope and implementation of the intervention, including the number of NNPCL retail outlets participating in the scheme, the volume of petrol to be sold at discounted rates and the measures planned after the initial 30-day period.
According to him, the government must explain how the arrangement would provide sustained relief to transport operators, traders, workers and low-income households rather than offer a temporary reprieve.
The former APC spokesman said the latest development had also revived debate over Atiku’s proposal to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027.
In August, Atiku reiterated his position on the issue, declaring: “On the question of subsidy, my position has not changed and will not change: I will restore it!”
The former vice-president had argued that Nigeria should use its resources to protect citizens from severe economic hardship.
The Presidency, however, challenged the proposal, questioning its fiscal and legal basis and asking how a restored subsidy would avoid the problems associated with the previous system.
Frank said the Federal Government’s latest intervention had vindicated Atiku’s call for a subsidy arrangement intended to cushion Nigerians against rising fuel and transportation costs.
“But now, having seen the light in Atiku’s proposal, Tinubu simply came down off his high horse and adopted the idea without any acknowledgments,” he declared.
He warned the President against expecting the temporary discount to erase public dissatisfaction over the economic consequences of subsidy removal.
“Nigerians are no fools. They know how their present economic predicament started with ‘fuel subsidy is gone’ in 2023. They will definitely use their votes to reclaim their country and set it on the path of economic progress come 2027,” he said.
Frank maintained that the central issue was not whether the government described its latest intervention as a discount or a subsidy, but whether it would deliver meaningful and sustained relief.
He called on the administration to explain how the measure would address the broader cost-of-living crisis and prevent households and businesses from continuing to bear the brunt of high energy and transportation costs.
He insisted that Nigerians needed a coherent, long-term economic response rather than a temporary intervention that would expire after 30 days.
Signed:
Comrade Timi Frank, ULMWP Ambassador for East Africa and the Middle East and Senior Adviser to the Global Friendship City Association, United States.
