Wike Criticizes Atiku’s Subsidy U-Turn, Calls Him a “Voodoo Economist”

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his position on fuel subsidy, accusing the 2027 presidential hopeful of changing his stance for political reasons.

Wike made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja while inspecting ongoing road and other infrastructure projects across the Federal Capital Territory.

The minister recalled that Atiku had previously supported the removal of fuel subsidy, including his position during the 2022 presidential campaign that he would end the subsidy within his first 100 days in office if elected.

Wike questioned why the former vice president was now proposing the return of fuel subsidy, arguing that the position was at odds with his earlier claims that the subsidy system was fraudulent.

He also accused Atiku of lacking consistency in his economic policies and suggested that his current position was aimed at gaining public support ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

According to Wike, anyone seeking to lead Nigeria should maintain clear and consistent policies instead of changing positions based on political circumstances.

The FCT minister also questioned how Atiku would operate a fuel subsidy system under the current structure of Nigeria’s petroleum industry. He noted that the Petroleum Industry Act had changed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company from its former structure into NNPC Limited and moved the sector towards commercial operations.

Wike further raised questions about how a future government would subsidise petrol produced locally by private refineries such as the Dangote Refinery.

He argued that bringing back subsidy could work against the market-based reforms introduced into the petroleum sector. He said such a move could also create uncertainty for investors and bring back problems associated with smuggling, fuel arbitrage and poor management of public funds.

The minister said Atiku should instead explain how he would use the money saved from the removal of subsidy if he believed the policy should remain in place.

Wike defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove the subsidy, saying the move had increased the amount of money available to the federal, state and local governments.

He said the additional funds had helped states meet their salary and pension obligations, adding that the situation where many governments struggled to pay workers had reduced.

The minister also rejected the suggestion that Atiku was among the leading contenders for the 2027 presidential election.

Wike maintained that Tinubu remained the strongest candidate in the race and argued that the opposition parties were not sufficiently united to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress.

He said the opposition was in a stronger position during the 2023 election than it is ahead of the 2027 poll, insisting that the current political situation favoured the ruling party.

Wike also addressed concerns about security in Abuja, rejecting claims that armed robbery had increased significantly in the Federal Capital Territory.

He acknowledged that isolated criminal incidents still occurred but said security agencies were dealing with them. He added that available security reports did not support claims of a general rise in armed robbery across the capital.

The minister further disclosed that the Department of State Services had identified a person allegedly pretending to be a security officer and using fake security materials to intimidate residents.
He urged people to rely on verified information when discussing security issues in the FCT.

On the infrastructure projects he inspected, Wike said he was pleased with the progress of work and expressed confidence that several major projects would be completed before the end of the year.

He said some of the projects, including work around the Mpape bypass and Garki axis, were helping to address long-standing environmental and road problems in parts of Abuja.

According to him, construction work had also helped reclaim areas previously affected by erosion and gully damage.
Wike praised the contractors working on the projects and said the progress showed that commitments made to residents of the FCT were being fulfilled.

The minister also responded to concerns over the performance of Area Council chairmen, saying residents who elected them should hold them accountable for the level of development in their respective councils.

He noted that he had previously served as a council chairman and understood the challenges involved in running a local council.

Wike, however, said it would be unfair to conclude that all the Area Councils were failing, although he admitted that some councils could improve their performance.