Former African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, says the party will restore petrol subsidy if its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, wins the presidency, arguing that government policies must prioritise the welfare and productivity of Nigerians.
Nwosu, who spoke in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, said the party believes the current approach to economic reform has failed to adequately consider the impact of rising costs on ordinary Nigerians.
“When a policy has failed, the policy has failed and everything has been exhaustively discussed and conversed. And we put them through different tests. That is how policies are made in human society,” Nwosu said.
He argued that leadership should be measured by its impact on citizens, stressing that economic productivity depends on having a motivated population.
“Leadership, any form of leadership is about people. It is not about cosmetics, it is not about machines, it is not about anything. If your people are not motivated, they cannot produce,” he said.
Nwosu said the hardship caused by the reforms was evident in the difficulties faced by civil servants and other Nigerians trying to cope with rising transportation and living costs.
“We are aiming for a very productive economy and the productive economy that we are going for, our people must be ready for that,” he said.
“And if you know the number of research we are conducting, you go to Nigerian motor parks, you see that civil servants are now sleeping at the motor parks because they cannot come from Nyanya or Karu to the Central Area every day with their salary. And what kind of reform have we seen?”
According to him, government must continually assess how its policies affect citizens and adjust them when they fail to deliver the desired outcomes.
“So, if policies are made for the people, you have to gauge how your people are motivated. We are reacting to how any policy you put in place is affecting your people. And this one, it was wrong from day one,” Nwosu said.
He said the ADC would unveil a policy framework that would be anchored on a clear social contract with Nigerians.
“So, for us, what is different is that our policy, by the time we roll out finally, with the clear contract that we will have to sign with the people, you will see that even now we put that in place, that is what government is made for,” he said.
“And everything we do must be aligned with people at the highest level, at the bottom level. Because a motivated people can drive production, a motivated people can work with leaders to make the highest kind of outcome.”
Nwosu maintained that the party would reverse the current subsidy policy as part of its economic programme.
“ Definitely, the subsidy must go. And we are going to reconstruct the economy in a way that will privilege Nigerians,” he said.
Responding to concerns that restoring subsidy could undermine the gains of recent economic reforms, Nwosu said the success of any policy should ultimately be judged by its effect on Nigerians over time.
“The way you gauge policies is, what was in place before and what is in place now? After one year, two years, three years, what has happened with the new thing that is in place now?” he said.
He defended Atiku’s position, describing him as a candidate willing to reverse policies he believes are hurting Nigerians.
“Atiku is showing boldness by saying, take this back, so that the Nigerian people will breathe. When they breathe, they will collaborate and cooperate with government and their employers to make better production. What you take from here, you get a lot more from the other side,” Nwosu said.
He also criticised the Tinubu administration, alleging that the country was not being properly governed since 2023.
“And the recklessness of the people in power now, I can tell you that, especially since 2023, I can tell you that this country is not being governed. There is no indicator that the country is being governed,” he said.
“Take a walk to the hospitals and see the number of Nigerians dead.”
Nwosu further questioned the impact of government policies on families, using rising school fees as an example.
“What is that to celebrate that you are making your people suffer?” he asked.
“The other day I was here, I asked your media colleagues, I said, if for instance our children are going back to school without pre-warning, without stakeholders’ compensation, the school now says that the school fees have been increased by 500 per cent. What will you do?”
“Is it because we feel that Nigerian people are helpless, therefore the government can bully them? That is why Atiku has become the citizen’s candidate because he listens to the Nigerian people.”
He said governments should be willing to reverse policies that were not working and explore alternative approaches to economic management.
“You formulate your laws and everything, and you should be courageous enough to say, this is not working, we have to take it back, because you have people who can reconstruct. You innovate. This is a world of innovation,” Nwosu said.
Addressing questions over the absence of specific figures on how an Atiku administration would finance the proposed subsidy, Nwosu said the ADC was still consulting experts and industry practitioners.
“When you’re dealing with the economy, and you’re dealing with some complex issues, you have to make a lot of consulting,” he said.
He said the party had developed a plan to inject N12 trillion into the economy with the aim of generating significantly higher economic output.
“The important thing is that we have designed a way to pump in 12 trillion naira into the system, and get the working class to create over 500 trillion,” Nwosu said.
He explained that the party was consulting professionals in the oil and gas industry and other sectors before releasing its full economic framework.
“We are consulting the practitioners, people in the oil industry, and many, many consultations. We are not doing this for the publicity. We are doing this as something that is critical to the philosophy of ADC, the welfare of the people,” he said.
Nwosu said the party’s policies would ultimately be guided by its stated philosophy and commitment to improving the welfare of Nigerians.
“So, once your policies are aligned with your philosophy, you are doing good,” he said.
“I can tell you something. There is no way you can… We are not being reckless. But we are being careful.”
He added that the party’s complete policy template would be released after the ongoing consultations.
“The important thing is that by the time our full template comes out, it will not contradict anything,” Nwosu said.
Boluwatife Enome
Follow us on:
