Presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his recent position on fuel subsidy, describing him as an early major advocate of subsidy removal in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
Hashim, who said he has consistently opposed the removal of petroleum subsidy, argued that politicians who have changed their positions on the policy should explain why their views have changed.
“Atiku’s recant on subsidy removal without an apology is dishonesty.”
He said there was nothing wrong with changing one’s position when circumstances or evidence changed, but argued that politicians should acknowledge their previous positions rather than act as though they never held them.
Hashim claimed that Atiku, President Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi all campaigned on subsidy removal during the 2023 presidential election, while he, Omoyele Sowore and Adewole Adebayo opposed the policy.
He further recalled that Atiku advocated subsidy removal and wholesale privatisation during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, when he served as Vice-President and headed the government’s economic team.
According to Hashim, he and other PDP officials, including Iro Dan Musa, Harry Marshall, Abubakar Magaji and Emmanuel Ibeshi, publicly opposed a 1999 increase in petroleum prices and subsidy removal. He said the National Assembly also opposed the policy, after which the executive reversed the decision.
“We opposed subsidy removal when it was politically inconvenient to do so.”
Hashim Proposes Targeted Subsidy
Hashim said the debate should move beyond the blanket argument that all subsidies are wasteful. He proposed a targeted and transparent subsidy system for petroleum and other strategic products to protect citizens and productive sectors from severe economic shocks.
He argued that any subsidy programme should have clear eligibility rules, published costs and beneficiaries, measurable outcomes and strict accountability, while preventing intermediaries or politically connected individuals from benefiting unfairly.
According to him, subsidy should serve as a bridge towards stronger domestic production rather than encourage continued dependence on imports.
Hashim also criticised sections of the media for failing to properly scrutinise politicians who change their positions or adopt ideas previously promoted by less influential political figures.
He said the 2027 presidential election should focus on competing ideas and credible economic programmes rather than political imitation.
“Nigeria needs originality, courage and compassion in leadership.”
Hashim said his proposed economic programme would focus on affordable energy, stronger domestic production, industrialisation, job creation, improved purchasing power and strategic government intervention in critical sectors.
He maintained that Nigerians should not be treated as “laboratory animals” for economic experiments and urged politicians to acknowledge past mistakes while presenting credible plans for the country’s future.
Source: Statement by Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim / Accord Party.
