Atiku’s targeted subsidy, CNG buses and 30-day fuel discount

I am highly pleased to note that for the first time in many years since the return to democracy in 1999 our electioneering for the 2027 general elections are becoming issue- based-campaigns rather than the usual years of unfortunate campaign of calumny, especially from 2014 through to the 2023 general elections.

The present subsidy debate clearly shows that it is possible as well as doable for commuters in Nigeria to get cheaper transportation. It also shows that healthy political opposition is a necessary ingredient in a democracy and is direly needed in Nigeria. Nigeria has waited for too long for good governance due to weak political opposition.

We do not only need cheaper fuel for commuters to their various places of work or businesses, but also cheaper fuel for heavy duty vehicles and manufacturers for cheaper goods. High cost of energy has a direct effect on food inflation. We need cheaper fuel for manufacturers and heavy duty vehicles in order to cut down the cost of food. It is important we also debate subsidy for manufacturers and heavy duty vehicles.

At least, for now there is serious debate on fuel subsidy and/or the economy which has a direct bearing on the general welfare of Nigerians, especially the poor rather than the usual discussion on unfortunate issues, such as: zoning, region, religion, turn-by-turn, certificate, age of a candidate, and/or the health of a candidate, etc. In my view, there are more serious issues to debate on, including the economy, security, jobs, poverty alleviation, health, education, and electricity, etc.

In the recent past, our political campaigns at all levels have been more of calumny, slander, smear, and character assassination, instead of being issue-based. It is an incontrovertible fact that insecurity, inflation, unemployment, illiteracy, and poverty are the main issues in the polity. These problems do not discriminate among Nigerians on the basis of zone, region, religion or tribe.

We really need a healthy political opposition in our political system in order to keep the government on its toes. The government must be alive to its responsibility. The promise made by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to restore a targeted fuel subsidy if elected come 2027 got different reactions from the Tinubu administration. These reactions are indeed good for democracy. Nigerians are better for it.

For three years, no one was there to keep the government on its toes. This shows that were the opposition parties alive to their responsibilities, Nigerians would have had the opportunity to enjoy cheaper transportation system from 29th May, 2023, but for weak and lack of strong political opposition, here we are.

Healthy political opposition is a necessary ingredient in a multi-party democracy. From 1999 to date, weak or the absence of a strong political opposition from the federal to other levels of government is partly responsible for the governance failure we have been witnessing. This is why Nigeria’s democracy cannot afford a one party state or a unitary democracy. We direly need a vibrant political opposition at all levels in Nigeria for good governance.

The Tinubu administration had earlier announced its plans to provide a cheaper transportation system for commuters in collaboration with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum using the Compress Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the country from 1st October, 2026 as a counter reaction to the campaign promise made by Atiku. The Tinubu administration has now introduced a 30 days fuel discount through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) mega stations across the nation. We are now witnessing very interesting electioneering campaigns which are issue-based 

Our electorate at all levels in the past seemed not to bother about candidates’ economic policies or ideology and model which are very critical in influencing voters in other climes. You need to stabilise the economy for you to stabilise the polity. The voters need to know which way forward – capitalist, socialist or welfarist. And why one is to be preferred to the other.

We need leaders who based on their track records of achievements have the ability to tackle the problems of insecurity, inflation, unemployment and poverty which do not discriminate among Nigerians regardless of their so-called differences.

The electorate must be aware of the fact that It is not just enough for politicians to identify failures. Identifying failure is neither something very difficult nor a rocket science. In fact, it is the easiest thing to do by anyone. The dullest person in the society could identify a failure, but only the most competent can provide innovative solutions.

We need politicians with innovative solutions. It is high time we challenged all candidates at all levels to provide their policy documents, programmes, and blueprint so that we could compare notes. We must continue to ask our politicians to tell us how to turn things around so that we could compare notes.

For us to get it right, we must shun voting based on sentiment, emotion, anger and personal gains. The electorate should know the track records of achievements of all politicians canvassing for their votes.

May God bless Nigeria!

Nurudeen Dauda, 

Kaduna, Kaduna State