Tinubu Knocks Atiku’s Fuel Subsidy Plan, Says It Would Reverse Economic Gains

“I saw one of my opponents now say he will go back to subsidy. I read it. That is demonstration of a serious ignorance on governance and economy,” Tinubu said.

The President recalled the financial difficulties faced by many states before his administration came into office, saying 27 states were struggling to pay workers’ salaries.

“Before I came here, 27 states were unable to pay salaries. Not to even talk of personal salary of workers in your state,” he said.

According to Tinubu, the financial strength of state governments is crucial to the wellbeing of Nigerians because states and local governments are at the centre of service delivery and account for a significant concentration of the country’s population.

He noted that salaries paid by governments support entire families, while state resources are also required to provide essential infrastructure and social services.

“Salary you pay feed families. Where are the local governments? They are in the states. Where are the concentration of population? They are in the states,” the President said.

Tinubu said governments need sufficient resources to construct and maintain roads, provide housing, rehabilitate schools and upgrade hospitals, while also investing in healthcare and other social services.

He further stressed the importance of developing human capital through the training and retention of teachers, healthcare workers and other professionals required to deliver essential services.

The President maintained that the economic reforms undertaken by his administration were aimed at putting Nigeria on a more sustainable path and improving the capacity of governments to meet their obligations.

His comments come amid renewed political debate over the removal of fuel subsidy, with opposition figures, including Atiku, advocating alternative measures to address the economic hardship confronting Nigerians.

While proponents of subsidy restoration argue that it could ease the burden of rising fuel and living costs, Tinubu has consistently defended its removal as necessary to free up resources for development and reduce pressure on public finances.

The President's latest remarks therefore present the subsidy debate as more than a political disagreement, but as a fundamental choice between continuing with the reforms or returning to a system his administration considers financially unsustainable.

Tinubu insisted that reversing the subsidy policy would amount to taking the country back to an old economic model rather than addressing the structural challenges facing Nigeria.