Some residents of Jigawa State have thrown their weight behind the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over his promise to return fuel subsidy to revive Nigeria’s economy, saying the policy has impoverished the common man.
PUNCH learnt that the issue has dominated discussions at tea joints, markets, motor parks and on social media in the last few days, following Atiku’s declaration during his first media chat last Wednesday after INEC lifted the ban on the 2027 presidential campaigns on August 19.
Atiku had declared during the media chat that, “I will restore fuel subsidy because the current removal has failed the masses. You cannot punish the poor in the name of reform. Subsidy is for the people, not for the elite.”
Reacting swiftly on Thursday, President Bola Tinubu slammed Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to bring back the fuel subsidy, stating: “I saw one of my opponents say he will bring back the fuel subsidy. That is a serious display of ignorance about governance and economics,” a remark that has further angered ordinary Nigerians.
But in Jigawa, residents who spoke exclusively with The PUNCH correspondent on Friday in Dutse said Tinubu’s reaction showed his government was disconnected from the suffering of the masses.
