Atiku’s Camp Plunged Into Confusion as Spokesmen Clash Over Fuel Subsidy U-Turn

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign team has been hit with public controversy following mixed messages and conflicting statements regarding his policy on the return of petrol subsidy.

The confusion erupted after Atiku’s media team issued contradicting policy positions within a short span. Media aide Paul Ibe initially stated that an Atiku administration would restore the petrol subsidy if elected before phasing it out later through crude oil discounts for domestic refiners. However, fellow spokesman Phrank Shaibu quickly countered Ibe’s statement, disowning it as an “unauthorized, imprecise, and materially misleading characterization” of Atiku’s actual economic blueprint.

Seeking to clear up the internal disagreement, Shaibu explained that Atiku is not proposing a return to the old import-subsidy regime, which was plagued by corruption and phantom claims. The former Vice President’s current proposal the Atiku Economic Recovery Plan instead focuses on a targeted, capped, and independently audited crude oil intervention aimed at lowering production costs for local refiners until domestic supply stabilizes.

The public clash between Atiku’s aides provided fresh ammunition for political opponents and government officials who have heavily criticized his policy shift. President Bola Tinubu, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, and APC leaders blasted Atiku for changing his stance, reminding the public that he had campaigned vigorously on removing the fuel subsidy during the 2023 elections. Critics argued that the conflicting signals from his camp expose policy inconsistency and political desperation as the 2027 election race begins to take shape.