Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his position on fuel subsidy, accusing the 2023 presidential candidate of changing his stance for political reasons.
Wike made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja while inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects across the Federal Capital Territory.
According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka, Wike recalled that Atiku had pledged during the 2023 presidential campaign to remove fuel subsidy within his first 100 days in office if elected.
The minister questioned why Atiku was now advocating the restoration of subsidy.
“Now, in 2026, he is not going to remove the fuel subsidy. Is he going back to the fraud, which he had alleged that fuel subsidy was?” Wike asked.
Describing Atiku as a “voodoo economist,” the minister accused him of changing his policy positions in an attempt to win the support of voters.
“Atiku, who is confused, who acts like a voodoo economist, Atiku will say anything just to be president,” Wike said.
He argued that presidential candidates should demonstrate consistency in their policies rather than adjust their positions according to political circumstances.
“Leadership is not you coming out, you say one thing now in the morning, in the afternoon you say a different thing, in the night you are talking of a different thing. That is not it,” he said.
Wike also questioned how Atiku would implement a return to fuel subsidy under the current structure of Nigeria’s petroleum industry, particularly following the Petroleum Industry Act and the commercialisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
He asked whether an Atiku administration would pay subsidy on petrol produced by the Dangote Refinery.
The minister maintained that restoring fuel subsidy would undermine the objectives of the Petroleum Industry Act, which seeks to promote a commercially driven and competitive petroleum sector.
According to him, a return to government-controlled fuel pricing could create regulatory uncertainty, weaken investor confidence and revive distortions associated with the former subsidy regime.
Wike also argued that fuel subsidies had historically encouraged smuggling, arbitrage and inefficiency while reducing revenues available to the Federation Account.
Defending President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, the minister said the policy had increased allocations to the three tiers of government.
He challenged state and local governments to account for how they had utilised the additional funds received since subsidy removal.
Wike further claimed that the increased revenue had strengthened governments’ ability to meet salary and pension obligations.
“Nobody talks about non-payment of pension; nobody talks about non-payment of salary. Before, for you to pay salary, you would beg and beg the banks to give you money. But all those things are things of the past,” he said.
On the 2027 presidential election, Wike dismissed suggestions that Atiku remained one of the leading opposition contenders, insisting that President Bola Tinubu was the dominant candidate.
“I disagree with you that Atiku is one of the leading candidates. You have only one leading candidate, and that’s Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu,” he said.
Wike also argued that the opposition was currently less capable of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress than it was in 2023.
“That’s why I say that 2027 is gone. It’s gone because you don’t have an opposition that wants to wrestle power from the government,” he said.
Wike Dismisses Abuja Robbery Concerns
The FCT minister also rejected claims that armed robbery incidents had increased in Abuja, saying available security reports did not support such an assertion.
While acknowledging isolated criminal incidents, Wike said security agencies were responding to them.
“I’m not saying there are no one or two incidents of crime, but to say the armed robbery has increased in Abuja, I don’t agree,” he said.
He urged the media and the public to exercise caution when reporting security developments, noting that the Department of State Services had tracked an individual allegedly impersonating security personnel and using fake materials to harass residents.
Wike Inspects FCT Projects
On infrastructure development, Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress of several ongoing projects in the capital, saying some major projects were expected to be completed before the end of the year.
He described one of the projects as a major intervention capable of transforming the city and commended contractors for the progress recorded.
The minister also highlighted construction around the Mpape bypass and Garki axis, saying the projects had helped reclaim land previously affected by gully erosion.
“We are satisfied with what we have seen. We’re very impressed that the promises made to our people are being fulfilled. Again, it’s what the whole agenda is all about,” he said.
Wike also declined to take responsibility for complaints over the performance of some Area Council chairmen, noting that they were elected by residents of their respective councils.
“They are the people who elected them. They should ask them. I am not there; I did not appoint them; they were elected,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged that some councils might have areas where their performance could be improved, adding that he had previously served as a council chairman.
