The Democratic Front (TDF) has berated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his persistent criticism of the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing his stance as repetitive, confused, and lacking in substance.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group said it was dismayed that Atiku continues to label the subsidy removal as “hasty and thoughtless,” despite mounting evidence of its benefits.
“It is even more worrisome that the former Vice President has continued to dwell on the cost of living in the aftermath of fuel subsidy removal in a desperate bid to prove the current administration wrong,” the group stated.
TDF accused Atiku and his media handlers of exaggerating economic challenges and failing to acknowledge the gradual recovery being witnessed, particularly in food prices.
Providing recent market data, the group stated that a local cup of rice, which sold for N3,000 in mid-2023, now goes for N1,400; a cup of maize, previously N2,000, has dropped to N400 in many Northern markets; while a basket of Irish potatoes in Jos has plummeted from N12,000 to N2,500.
“These price drops reflect the impact of targeted agricultural interventions and prudent fiscal management made possible by the savings from subsidy removal,” the statement noted.
The group challenged Atiku to present Nigerians with a workable alternative, asking how he would have sustained the subsidy regime without resorting to massive external borrowing.
“In his usual attempt to be clever by half, the former Vice President commended some state governments for their performance, but conveniently ignored the fact that improved federal allocations made possible by subsidy savings enabled such progress,” TDF said.
They further dismissed Atiku’s allegation that the Tinubu administration had failed to pay the new wage award to federal workers, stressing that government records show the implementation has commenced, with civil servants receiving better remuneration than ever before.
TDF urged Nigerians to be wary of politically motivated criticisms that offer no solutions.
“Atiku’s continued opposition to subsidy withdrawal, without offering any viable alternative, only diminishes his credibility as a former Vice President,” the group concluded.
