Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the recent election, Atiku Abubakar has slammed President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the continued payment of subsidies on Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.
Atiku’s knocks came following Tinubu’s approval of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’, NNPCL request to use the 2023 dividends due to the federation for subsidizing petrol.
The former vice president in a post on his verified Facebook page, expressed worry over the latest developments, as he ascribes them to another instance of vague governance under the current administration
According to Atiku, this decision is in contradictions with President Tinubu’s earlier declaration during a national broadcast, where he announced an end to the subsidy regime.
He reiterated that before the announcement, there had been consistent indications of a resurgence in subsidy payments, though through less transparent methods.
Atiku said: “This discrepancy between the President’s statements and his actions not only undermines the moral authority of his leadership but also significantly erodes the credibility of his administration.”
While noting the delays in the re-operation of the Port Harcourt refinery, he called called it a national disgrace.
He credited this failure to President Tinubu, who also serves as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.
Atiku also pointed out that the consistent denials by NNPC Limited intensifies the difficulties confronted by Nigerians due to lack of fuel and rising prices.
He raised concern over the President’s silence amid ongoing disputes between local investors favoring refinery operations and those advocating for imported PMS.
Atiku called on President Tinubu to take responsibility for resolving these critical issues to defend national interests.
He stressed the need for transparency in the downstream petroleum sector and urged the Tinubu administration to clarify the complexities surrounding the subsidy policy and PMS refining.
