… As Tinubu prepares to speak directly to Nigerians on the campaign trail in Kaduna on October 24th
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has stepped up his criticism of the Tinubu administration, accusing it of doing very little to end the pain that Nigerians are subjected to as a result of hardship.
Atiku unleashed the attack following the 30-day fuel price reduction strategy introduced by the Tinubu administration, describing the measure restricted to NNPC controlled stations as panic driven.
The attempt to step up his criticism of the federal government is coming against the backdrop of Tinubu’s insistence that better days which will lead to years of economic prosperity lie ahead.
The former Vice President who made no reference to what is happening to oil prices due to the conflict in the Middle East condemned the Federal Government’s proposed 30-day fuel discount at NNPC stations, saying it is a desperate, temporary gesture that cannot repair the damage caused by the crushing cost of fuel.
Speaking through Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said the Tinubu administration’s attempt to dangle a fuel subsidy as bait for Nigerians was reckless, disgraceful and scandalous.
“Atiku totally rejects this calendar-scheduled, election-laced subsidy package. Nigerians are not fools to be offered a month of discounted fuel after years of punishing prices and then expected to forget the hardship when the discount expires. This is shameless and heartless,” he said.
“What happens on Day 31?”, Atiku’s spokesman asked, “Nigerians wake up to the same brutal prices, the same punishing transport fares and the same rising cost of food. The government cannot manufacture relief for one month and expect Nigerians to applaud while the hardship remains.”
According to him, the offer is limited to NNPC stations, while the government has yet to state how much motorists will save per litre or guarantee that any savings for transport operators will be passed on to passengers through lower fares.
“This volte-face proves that the production-support proposal I have advanced is workable, achievable and not complicated. The Tinubu government and its spin doctors have tried to make it sound impossible, yet they are now reaching for a temporary subsidy-style intervention because the pain has become impossible to ignore,” Atiku said.
Nigerians need lasting relief, not a countdown to the return of hardship, the presidential candidate added.
Meanwhile, while Atiku’s attention is focused on social media and attacks in the media, Tinubu has resolved to talk directly to the Nigerian people on the campaign trail.
Tinubu who said he is ready to push would be in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria, on the 24th of October. The choice of Kaduna, a state where the huge Christian population in Southern Kaduna is presently heaving sighs of relief is strategic
The Kaduna State Governor is an ally of the president. Kaduna residents hail his administrative style, stressing that it has brought stability to the state once troubled by insurgency
It would be a major test of Tinubu’s popularity, the Port Harcourt Telegraph reports, especially in the North where Atiku and his support base have been working tirelessly to stir anti-Tinubu sentiments.
