Amaechi says Atiku government would lower fuel and food costs

Rotimi Amaechi, the African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, has said an Atiku Abubakar-led government would reduce the cost of fuel, transportation and food within its first year in office. Amaechi made the claim on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies and outlined measures he said the ADC would pursue. He said the removal of petrol and electricity subsidies had increased hardship, with Nigerians facing higher costs for transport, food and household electricity.

Amaechi argued that the effects of the policies were visible in rising prices and reduced access to basic necessities. According to him, Atiku had promised to restore subsidy measures. Amaechi clarified that the ADC was proposing a production subsidy rather than a return to the former consumer-subsidy arrangement.

He said the intervention would reduce costs across the economy if implemented. Amaechi cited his electricity bill as an example of the impact of the current tariff system, claiming that it had risen from N500,000 to N4 million. He said Atiku’s proposed policy would remove the Band A and Band B structure and return his bill to its previous level through government support.

The former Rivers State governor also criticised Tinubu over electricity promises and claimed that insecurity had worsened partly because farmers could no longer safely reach their land. He further alleged that the number of out-of-school children had risen from 12 million to 20 million, although no supporting source for the figures was provided in the report. Amaechi said he was contesting the 2027 election because he believed he understood Nigeria’s problems and could address them.

He also expressed confidence that Tinubu would lose if the ADC appeared on the ballot.