Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed comments made by one of his media aides regarding his subsidy policy, insisting that the aide spoke without his authority.
Atiku, who made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday, said his position on subsidy restoration remains non-negotiable, declaring that Nigeria is sufficiently endowed to cater for the welfare of its citizens.
The clarification came hours after his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, suggested in a television interview that an Atiku administration would restore petrol subsidy temporarily and phase it out at a later date.
But Atiku swiftly moved to correct the impression, stating categorically that the aide’s comments did not reflect his policy position.
“Let it be clearly stated that he was not speaking on my own authority,” Atiku said, adding that the removal of subsidy under the current administration has pushed more Nigerians into poverty than at any other time in the country’s history.
The former Vice President reiterated that the fundamental responsibility of any government is the welfare of its citizens, and that he remains committed to restoring targeted subsidy to ease the burden on struggling families.
He further accused the ruling government of mismanaging the economy, saying: “We are competing with thieves. They stole the election, now they have stolen the economy, they have stolen everything.”
Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, later amplified the candidate’s stance, stressing that no spokesperson has the authority to redefine or improvise on a policy already clearly articulated by the candidate.
“Policy belongs to the candidate, not the spokesperson. Our responsibility as communicators is to explain Atiku’s position accurately, not create formulations capable of confusing Nigerians or handing opponents convenient talking points,” Shaibu said.
He emphasised that Atiku has never proposed restoring the import-subsidy regime only to remove it on some predetermined date, insisting that the proposed intervention would be transparently budgeted, independently audited, and progressively phased out only when clearly defined conditions — such as increased domestic refining and improved supply stability — are met.
“You do not remove scaffolding because the calendar says so. You remove it when the building can stand securely on its own,” Shaibu added.
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