The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) has asked former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to provide the legal, fiscal and operational framework for his proposed production subsidy for locally refined petrol.
Atiku Abubakar, in a press conference on Friday, proposed a production subsidy aimed at reducing petrol prices, while also calling for lower pump prices of petrol and diesel.
The APC-PCC stated this on Sunday in a statement signed by its spokesman, Dele Alake, in reaction to Atiku’s press conference in Abuja held on Friday, where he reiterated his proposal for a “production subsidy” for locally refined petrol, which he claimed would reduce pump prices.
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“Atiku should provide Nigerians with a detailed policy document and an independent legal and fiscal analysis of his proposal. Until he does so, his production-subsidy plan remains an uncosted promise without a clearly identified legal or operational framework.
APC PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL
PRESS STATEMENT
ATIKU MUST EXPLAIN THE LEGAL AND FISCAL BASIS OF HIS PETROL SUBSIDY PROPOSAL
At his press conference in Abuja on Friday, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar reiterated his proposed “production subsidy” for locally refined petrol, which he… pic.twitter.com/YLKtdukEQZ
— Bayo Onanuga, OON, CON (@aonanuga1956) September 20, 2026
The Council cited Section 205(1) of the PIA, which provides for wholesale and retail prices of petroleum products to be determined under unrestricted free-market conditions.
It also referenced a statement by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), which said it does not fix petrol pump prices or issue administrative pricing templates except under statutory conditions for intervention. The regulator said no market failure warranting such intervention had been declared.
Alake said the assumptions underlying the proposal must be clearly defined, adding that Nigerians deserve to know the proposed subsidy rate, the annual spending ceiling, the volume of crude oil or petrol to be covered, the source of funding, the mechanism for guaranteeing lower pump prices, the safeguards against diversion, smuggling and fraudulent claims, as well as whether amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act would be required.
APC-PCC Spokesperson emphasised that President Tinubu’s administration had instead focused on expanding lower-cost alternatives through compressed natural gas and electric mass transit.
These programmes, he noted, are already reducing transport costs on routes served by CNG and electric buses, while vehicle conversions and supporting infrastructure continue to expand nationwide.
The APC-PCC said the Tinubu administration is expanding lower-cost transport through CNG and electric mass transit, with more than 120,000 vehicles converted and commuters in seven states and the FCT recording fare reductions of between 31 and 83 per cent on some routes.
It cited cheaper services in Borno, Niger, Kaduna and Adamawa, as well as the deployment of electric buses in Abia, while acknowledging the pressure of higher petrol prices and stressing that interventions in the downstream sector must be lawful, transparent, properly costed and capable of delivering measurable benefits to consumers.
The APC-PCC further called on Atiku to publish a detailed policy document and subject his proposal to independent legal and fiscal analysis, insisting that until this is done, questions remain over its cost, legal foundation and operational structure.
Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, had at a press conference in Abuja on Friday called on President Bola Tinubu to reduce petrol and electricity costs, alleging that the removal of petrol subsidy since May 29, 2023, had contributed to higher transportation, food, logistics and energy costs across the country.
