African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi has said an Atiku Abubakar-led administration would reduce the cost of transportation, fuel, and food within its first year in office.
Amaechi made the claim on Friday while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he criticized the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and outlined some of the ADC’s proposed measures.
He said the removal of petrol and electricity subsidies had intensified economic hardship, leaving many Nigerians struggling to afford basic necessities.
“Everybody is suffering; everybody is looking for food to eat. People can’t buy fuel or travel. The airlines are threatening to increase the cost of transportation; everything is skyrocketing,” he said.
The former Rivers State Governor also faulted Tinubu over his administration’s promises on electricity supply, arguing that Nigerians were still waiting for the improvements promised by the president.
“For Christ’s sake, President Tinubu does not have the right to speak; he doesn’t. He promised power and said if he doesn’t give power, they should not vote for him. Nigerians are waiting to vote him out,” he said.
Amaechi stated that Atiku has pledged to reintroduce subsidy measures as part of efforts to ease the economic burden on Nigerians.
“Atiku said I should tell you people that he will bring back the subsidy. Tinubu removed the subsidy for the electricity bill. “He said Band A, B, and C,” Amaechi said.
He cited the increase in his household electricity bill as an example of the impact of the current electricity tariff structure.
“My house electricity bill was N500,000; now I pay N4 million. Atiku said if he comes, I will go back to N500,000. No more Band A and B because the government will subsidize it,” he said.
Amaechi also linked the increase in food and transportation costs to the removal of the petrol subsidy.
“He just held the microphone and didn’t care. He just said remove subsidy. Since he removed subsidy, transportation increased, and food prices increased for tomatoes, corn, and everything,” he said.
He added, “Atiku said he will bring back the subsidy. If Atiku brings back the subsidy, everything will come down.”
Clarifying the nature of the proposed intervention, Amaechi said the ADC was advocating a production subsidy rather than a return to the former consumer subsidy regime.
