Oshiomhole, a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), made the comments during an interview with TVC while reacting to Atiku’s economic agenda ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku has said he would restore fuel subsidy as part of his plans to reduce the cost of living and make petrol more affordable for Nigerians. However, Oshiomhole questioned whether the proposal is consistent with positions Atiku previously expressed.
Oshiomhole Recalls Atiku’s Position on Subsidy
Oshiomhole said that during his time as NLC president, Atiku, who was then vice president, personally explained to him why petroleum subsidy should be removed.
According to Oshiomhole, Atiku had argued that the subsidy regime was wasteful and needed to be discontinued.
Oshiomhole said this history makes Atiku’s current promise to restore subsidy difficult to reconcile with his earlier position.
He argued that Atiku’s latest proposal raises questions about whether the former vice president has changed his position or is responding to the political realities of the 2027 election.
Atiku’s Previous NNPC Privatisation Plan
Oshiomhole also brought up Atiku’s reported proposal to privatise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) during the 2023 presidential campaign.
The senator questioned how a government could transfer an oil company into private hands while simultaneously controlling the price at which its products are sold.
He argued that if the government wants private investors to operate the downstream petroleum sector, it would be difficult to maintain government control over the price of their products.
Oshiomhole therefore used Atiku’s previous position on NNPC privatisation to challenge the economic logic behind his current promise to restore fuel subsidy.
The Subsidy Debate
Fuel subsidy remains one of the most contentious economic issues in Nigeria.
Supporters of subsidy removal argue that the policy placed a heavy financial burden on government and created opportunities for corruption and inefficiency. Critics, however, maintain that removing subsidy without adequate measures to protect households has contributed to higher transportation costs, food prices and general living expenses.
Atiku has positioned the restoration of subsidy as one possible intervention to ease the burden on Nigerians.
Oshiomhole, however, believes Atiku’s previous statements on subsidy and NNPC raise questions about the consistency of that proposal.
2027 Economic Debate Intensifies
The exchange comes as presidential contenders and political parties increasingly focus on the economy ahead of the 2027 elections.
Fuel prices, subsidy policy, crude oil production, refinery operations and the cost of living are expected to remain major campaign issues.
Atiku’s camp has argued that economic policies should be designed around the welfare and purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians, while supporters of the current administration have defended the removal of subsidy as a necessary step toward reforming the petroleum sector.
Oshiomhole’s latest comments have therefore added another layer to the growing debate over what approach the next administration should take on fuel pricing.
At the heart of the disagreement is a fundamental question: Should Nigeria return to subsidising petrol to reduce the immediate burden on citizens, or should the country maintain a market-driven system and use other measures to address the cost-of-living crisis?
The answer is likely to become an increasingly important issue as the 2027 presidential campaign gathers momentum.
