The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised the Federal Government’s 2023 fuel subsidy removal, with its spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of shifting the burden of corruption onto ordinary Nigerians.
“What the APC government did in 2023 by removing subsidy universally without providing any safety net for the people is to punish poor people for the sins committed by rich people,” Abdullahi said on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television and monitored by ENigeria Newspaper.
He argued that while subsidy as an economic tool is not inherently flawed, its mismanagement over the years has created the current crisis.
“The problem is clear and even you will agree with me, subsidy has acquired a negative connotation, but there is nothing wrong with subsidy. All countries give subsidies. It is the corruption associated with the subsidy that is the problem. Removing subsidy for everyone is as bad as giving subsidy to everyone.”
Abdullahi maintained that the ADC would instead adopt a targeted subsidy system aimed at supporting vulnerable Nigerians rather than a blanket removal policy.
“ADC will pursue a policy of targeted subsidy to those who need it. It is wrong to punish the poor for the crimes committed by the rich.”
He further criticised the uniform fuel pricing regime, noting that it disproportionately affects low-income earners.
“The solution is what we call targeted subsidy, by bringing down the cost of energy for those who need it, not necessarily by direct pump price control, but by giving incentives and palliatives to people as some of the options to adopt. Removing subsidies is not the only option.”
According to him, the party’s broader economic approach would prioritise social protection and job creation.
“ADC is saying that we will pursue economic policies that protect the people, not measure progress by GDP growth alone, but by how many people were able to lift out of poverty and jobs,” he added.
The spokesperson also claimed that the ruling All Progressives Congress remains unsettled ahead of the 2027 general elections despite its dominance across the country.
“We are the ones who have the burden to convince Nigerians to vote for us. We are the ones who have the responsibility to do the necessary things that would make Nigerians vote for us and we are calm because we know what we are doing.
“We in the ADC are calm, but they (the APC) are the ones; after having about 34 governors in their camp and almost all the National Assembly, they are still panicking. They are still sponsoring court cases against the ADC.
“During military rule, Abacha created five political parties and encouraged them to make him the sole presidential candidate, but what we are seeing now is that the APC government is destroying every other political party so President Bola Tinubu will remain the sole candidate in 2027.”
