Former Governor Compares Atiku's Fuel Subsidy Proposal to APC's Muslim-Muslim Ticket
- Former Ekiti governor Kayode Fayemi described Atiku Abubakar's fuel subsidy proposal as a political strategy, not an economic plan
- Fayemi, a long-time advocate of subsidy removal, said he spent four years pushing the policy as chairman of the Nigerian Governors' Forum
- The ex-minister said Atiku is capitalising on the suffering of vulnerable Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - Former Ekiti State Governor has compared African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar's fuel subsidy proposal to the controversial Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general election.
Legit.ng reports that Atiku said he would bring back the petrol subsidy if he wins the 2027 election.
Source: Facebook
Fayemi said both are political tools rather than genuine policy solutions.
As reported by Vanguard, Fayemi made the comments during an interview on Arise Television's Prime Time on Monday, September 7, 2026, weighing in on the growing debate around fuel subsidy policy and Atiku's position.
"My take on that is that Atiku's proposal of subsidy is politically equivalent to our own Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023. It's a political strategy. It's not an economic construct," Fayemi said.
Fayemi stands by subsidy removal
Despite his criticism of Atiku's approach, Fayemi acknowledged that the proposal would likely appeal to ordinary Nigerians still reeling from the effects of petrol subsidy removal.
"But understandably, it's a political strategy that will sell with those who are hard done by the impact of fuel subsidy removal," he said.
Fayemi was clear about where he stands on the policy itself, saying he has championed subsidy removal for years.
"I was, and I remain an advocate of fuel subsidy removal. As chairman of the governors' forum, I spent four years in this battle," he said.
He said President Bola Tinubu largely inherited a process that the previous administration had already completed, though he raised concerns about how the transition was handled.
"What President Tinubu inherited, in fairness to him, was the work that had already been completed by that administration. The only challenge I had with it was the way it was done," Fayemi said.
He also recalled that state governors, working alongside the Federal Government and the World Bank, had drawn up a safety-net plan designed to protect the most vulnerable Nigerians from the fallout of subsidy removal, a plan he said was not adequately implemented.
Atiku exploiting public anger
Fayemi argued that the former Vice President was deliberately targeting the frustrations of low-income Nigerians who have struggled since subsidy was removed.
"I believe that's what former Vice President Atiku is taking advantage of. The vulnerable segment of the population is still hard done by," he said.
He added that most affected Nigerians were not interested in the policy debate around subsidy but simply wanted relief from daily hardship.
"They just want to live reasonably well, eke out a living, have one or two meals a day, be able to send their kids to school, not be taken in by sickness or anything that might create further problems for them," Fayemi said.
Fayemi concluded that, just as the Muslim-Muslim ticket was designed to consolidate electoral support for the APC in 2023, Atiku's subsidy stance was similarly aimed at capitalising on public dissatisfaction ahead of the 2027 elections.
Source: Facebook
Atiku disowns aide's comments on fuel subsidy
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Atiku publicly disowned comments made by his media aide, Paul Ibe, on fuel subsidy during a TV interview.
The ADC presidential candidate said his position on restoring petrol subsidy had not changed and would not change.
Atiku blamed rising fuel prices under Tinubu's administration for driving up transport and food costs for Nigerian families.
Source: Legit.ng
