Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress(ADC), has said that reinstating fuel subsidy would depend on the situation on ground when he becomes President.
Abubakar, who stated this in a BBC interview monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), opined that it was “not good” to remove the entire subsidy at the same time.
The ADC candidate’s new position on the matter represents a significant shift from his initial promise to restore full subsidy immediately he is sworn in, if he clinches the presidential seat in the 2027 election.
He said that a 100 per cent “sudden withdrawal” of fuel subsidy was not right, and opined that such a measure should rather be gradual.
He also stressed the need for consultation before such a decision could be taken.
“We shall meet with the people and examine the situation together. It shall be gradual. Certainly not 100 per cent as done by the current administration,” he said.
According to him, a sudden reinstatement will be like jumping into darkness because “one does not know the facts on the ground”.
(NAN)
