The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) has challenged African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to provide details of his proposed fuel subsidy intervention.
This follows Abubakar’s recent call for targeted government support for locally refined petroleum products, a proposal the APC campaign council said required greater clarity on how such support would operate within Nigeria’s existing petroleum-sector laws.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, APC-PCC spokesperson Dele Alake questioned whether refiners that benefit from the proposed intervention would be required to sell petrol at government-prescribed prices.
The council said that if such conditions were envisaged, Abubakar should explain the legal authority that would allow the government to impose them and how the arrangement would align with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
It also sought to know the mechanism he would ensure that public support to domestic refiners actually resulted in cheaper petrol at filling stations if refiners were not subject to regulated pump prices.
The body demanded details of the financial implications of the proposal, including its projected annual cost, spending limits, funding source and the volume of petroleum products that would be covered.
Additionally, it raised concerns about possible leakages, asking what safeguards would be put in place to prevent diversion, smuggling and fraudulent subsidy claims.
According to the APC-PCC, any arrangement involving preferentially priced crude for domestic refineries could have implications for revenue accruing to the Federation and should therefore be transparently calculated before implementation.
The council further questioned whether changes to the Petroleum Industry Act would be necessary to introduce the proposed policy, arguing that simply providing funds through the appropriation process might not address the regulatory requirements involved.
The APC-PCC recalled that Abubakar had described the subsidy regime as fraudulent in 2022 and had pledged to complete its removal, before subsequently declaring, “I will restore it!”
Meanwhile, the APC-PCC contrasted the proposal with the Tinubu administration’s focus on compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric mass transit as alternatives aimed at reducing transportation costs.
The council said more than 120,000 vehicles had so far been converted to CNG, while the Federal Government was working with state governments and transport stakeholders to expand conversion capacity and supporting infrastructure.
The APC-PCC maintained that any intervention in the downstream petroleum sector should have a clear legal foundation, transparent funding structure and measurable benefits for consumers.
