Atiku made the demand on Friday during the inauguration of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, where he criticised the Federal Government’s decision to introduce a 30-day petrol discount through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The Federal Government announced the initiative on Thursday, saying it was intended to provide temporary relief to Nigerians struggling with rising fuel prices, particularly public transport operators.
However, Atiku described the measure as a temporary palliative that failed to address the underlying problems driving up the cost of living.
He recalled that he had proposed targeted support for locally refined petrol in September, but accused the Tinubu administration of dismissing his proposal before introducing what he described as a modified version of the same idea.
“When I proposed targeted support to ease fuel costs, you called me ignorant of economic policy. Your government said it could not be done. Now, in a desperate and clumsy retreat, you have shamelessly embraced the principle you mocked. You owe me an apology,” Atiku said.
He challenged the President to explain what would happen after the 30-day discount expired, arguing that Nigerians needed a lasting solution rather than temporary relief.
“But more importantly, you owe Nigerians an answer: what happens on day 31?” he asked.
The former Vice-President accused Tinubu of adopting his proposed production subsidy while removing the elements he considered essential to making the policy effective.
He likened the President’s approach to a student who copied another student's examination answers but claimed credit for the work.
“You copied my production subsidy proposal, stripped away the part that makes it work, and handed Nigerians a 30-day discount. Where is the rest of the answer?” Atiku said.
He argued that his proposal was designed to provide sustained support for locally refined petroleum products and help reduce fuel costs, while the government’s initiative offered only temporary relief.
Atiku described the discount as a short-term measure that would not provide families, transport operators and businesses with the certainty required to plan their spending and operations.
He also accused the administration of responding to the economic hardship facing Nigerians only as the 2027 general elections approach.
The ADC presidential candidate said rising petrol prices had contributed to higher transportation costs, food prices and operating expenses for businesses, worsening the financial difficulties faced by households.
He called on the government to adopt more sustainable measures to make food affordable, improve electricity supply, create jobs, secure roads and farms, and support businesses and young Nigerians.
“A speech about growth means nothing to a family that cannot afford dinner,” he said.
Atiku further recalled that, during his State of the Nation address on September 18, 2026, he had offered to share his economic relief plan with Tinubu.
He criticised the President for allegedly dismissing the proposal instead of considering it in the national interest.
The former Vice-President also described the petrol discount as “yahoo-yahoo subsidy”, arguing that Nigerians should not be expected to applaud a temporary intervention after enduring years of rising living costs.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has maintained that the 30-day arrangement does not amount to a return to the former petrol subsidy regime.
Oyedele said the initiative was designed as a commercial discount by NNPCL, with the company offering petrol at cost during the promotional period.
The Federal Government has said the measure is intended to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices, while maintaining that the market-based pricing framework remains in place.
Atiku, however, insisted that the government needed to move beyond temporary discounts and implement a sustainable policy capable of reducing fuel costs and easing the wider economic burden on Nigerians.
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