The 2027 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his promise to restore Nigeria’s fuel subsidy if elected president.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), recently pledged to reintroduce the petrol subsidy, arguing that its removal under President Bola Tinubu has failed to deliver the expected benefits to Nigerians.
But Sowore dismissed the position, accusing Atiku and other established politicians of changing their stance on the subsidy for political convenience.
In a statement shared on his official X account on Friday, the AAC candidate urged Nigerians not to be misled by Atiku’s latest position.
“Don’t let Atiku Abubakar and his clowning group deceive you about fuel subsidy or pretend that they are responsible for the panic now gripping the failed Bola Tinubu regime,” Sowore said.
He claimed that the AAC had maintained a consistent position on the subsidy issue, unlike what he described as the shifting positions of major political figures.
Sowore further claimed that his party’s position had recently put pressure on the Tinubu administration.
“It was our firm and uncompromising stance at the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt that sent the Tinubu regime scampering,” he said.
The AAC candidate accused established political parties of attempting to reposition themselves as the opposition after previously supporting policies that, according to him, had contributed to Nigeria’s current economic difficulties.
Sowore said the AAC had remained consistent in its opposition to the removal of the fuel subsidy, while accusing what he called “establishment politicians” of adjusting their positions based on political interests and external economic influences.
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“We have been consistent on this issue, while these establishment politicians keep shifting positions according to political convenience and foreign capitalist control,” he said.
He also warned Nigerians against allowing politicians to rewrite the history of the subsidy debate ahead of the 2027 election.
“They should not be allowed to rewrite history or suddenly present themselves as the opposition,” Sowore added.
Atiku’s subsidy promise
Atiku’s position on the fuel subsidy is expected to become part of the broader economic debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The former Vice President has argued that the removal of the subsidy has placed significant pressure on Nigerians without producing sufficient economic benefits.
His proposal to restore the subsidy puts him at odds with the Tinubu administration, which removed the policy shortly after assuming office in 2023.
The issue has remained one of the most contentious economic questions in Nigeria, with supporters of subsidy removal arguing that the policy was financially unsustainable, while critics maintain that its removal has worsened living costs and placed additional pressure on households and businesses.
With the 2027 presidential race taking shape, the disagreement between Atiku and Sowore highlights the competing economic positions likely to dominate the campaign — and the growing battle among opposition figures over who can credibly challenge the ruling administration.