A member of the Media and Communication Team of the African Democratic Congress, (ADC), Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Ladan Salihu, has explained how the ADC’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would approach fuel policy differently from President Bola Tinubu, promising local refining, job creation and lower petrol costs for Nigerians.
Speaking with Arise News in an interview on Friday, Salihu, while lamenting the hardship in Nigeria under the current government, said Atiku would prioritise domestic fuel production and refining, arguing that this would create jobs, reduce costs and make petrol more affordable for Nigerians.
“What Atiku Abubakar is saying is that he is going to bring a new direction to government and governance.
“He said the idea, the plan, and the agenda that he will pursue and execute is to produce fuel here, to refine here, to create jobs here, and to pay less here. When you put this in perspective, it means that Nigerians will have cheaper fuel, own the space in the production, refining, and marketing process, and in doing so, you not only bring down the cost, but you also expand the petroleum subsector.”
Explaining Atiku’s claim that “Nigerians cannot eat GDP”, Salihu said economic growth figures have little meaning to citizens if they do not translate into improved living conditions and greater purchasing power.
“When Atiku Abubakar said that Nigerians cannot eat GDP, it means clearly that you cannot translate the figures government gives of economic growth into true prosperity and turning the lives of Nigerians for the better. The more the government speaks about figures that speak to macro and microeconomics, when you spin them practically on the ground, they have not been able to speak to the issues of poverty, penury, and the squalid lifestyles that Nigerians are undergoing as we speak.”
Adding, he said Atiku’s approach would involve greater transparency in government spending, a review of the fuel subsidy policy and measures aimed at making petrol more affordable for Nigerians.
“Atiku Abubakar is saying that he is going to come clean with transparency, he is going to reset the fuel subsidy regime to breathe life into the economy of Nigeria, and create a space for Nigerians to have an affordable lifestyle.”
Speaking on the federal government’s spending on NELFUND and its claim that 10 million Nigerians have received cash transfers, Dr Salihu called for greater transparency, saying Nigerians should be able to see who benefited and how public funds were distributed.
“When you talk about the 10 million Nigerians that have received cash, the government should come up with a chart to tell Nigerians. If there are 20 people in my own ward, I want to know these people. But the information I have is that these moneys were largely paid to APC minders through a platform that will make them their own collateral. This is where we’ve grown beyond just bandying around figures. You should be able to say, this is taxpayers’ money.”
Speaking on the deteriorating state of insecurity in Nigeria, and how Atiku plans to tackle it, Salihu said the ADC presidential candidate would create an enabling environment for farmers to return to their farms by strengthening the armed forces and increasing the number of security personnel.
“Atiku Abubakar said it loud and clear: when he gets into office in 2027, he will come clean on the issues of transparency. He will ensure that the state of insecurity that has gripped the nation is tackled. Atiku did say that he will make sure that he creates the enabling environment to guarantee security by creating the enabling environment for farmers to go back to work.
“He is going to create that environment by making sure that the armed forces and security services are not only encouraged, but their numbers are increased. Beyond that, you have to come clean and be trusted. The problem is that Nigerians have lost trust in this government, and Atiku Abubakar is providing that aura and feeling of trust.
“So we are saying that Atiku Abubakar has said that he will take immediate steps to reverse this kind of trend where non-state actors will have a free ride to go into neighborhoods and kill at will, and he will do that technically. There will be a grand submission on this, I assure you,” he promised.
Defending Nasir El-Rufai’s appointment as Deputy Chairman of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election, Salihu said the allegations against the former Kaduna governor remain unproven in court and should not prevent him from holding a prominent position in the campaign.
“Because we believe that inevitably Nasir El-Rufai will be freed. Nasir El-Rufai is not a criminal; he has not committed murder. He is a Nigerian citizen that has now become a political prisoner. Everybody knows that Nasir El-Rufai is being held not because of investigations of wiretapping, but because the APC fears him.
“And because his own allegations have not been proven in a competent law court beyond any reasonable doubt, he stands as accused. He is facing trial, but that does not deny him the right to be given a prominent position in our campaign organization. We are comfortable with it, we are behind our presidential candidate and the leadership of the ADC for taking this bold step, and it shows Nigerians that you can persecute an individual, but you can’t shut him up.”
Salihu added that Atiku would uphold the rule of law even when it involves members of his own party, adding that El-Rufai’s case would be addressed by the party and the presidential candidate if wrongdoing is established.
“Atiku Abubakar made a remark yesterday. He said that he is going to ensure that the rule of law prevails in his own administration, even if it applies to a member of his own party. So the question of Nasir El-Rufai inevitably will be decided by the party and by the presidential candidate when we get to that bridge.”
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