Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has urged President Bola Tinubu to apologise to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Nigerians over the removal of petrol subsidy, accusing the Federal Government of adopting an intervention similar to a proposal it had previously criticised.

Frank, in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, was reacting to the Federal Government’s announcement of a 30-day petrol discount at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) retail outlets, with priority given to public transport operators.

He said the temporary measure exposed inconsistencies in the administration’s position on petrol subsidy, arguing that Nigerians deserved lasting relief from the economic hardship that followed the policy’s removal in 2023.

“We expect Tinubu and his government to first apologise to Atiku Abubakar for its previous attacks on his position to return fuel subsidy if voted into office as President.

“Secondly, he should commend him and thank him for what we consider an excellent proposal that could help address the current economic hardship facing Nigerians.

“Rather than dismissing his proposal, the government should recognise its potential to provide relief to Nigerians who are struggling with the prevailing economic situation.

“Any government genuinely committed to the welfare of the people should be willing to consider practical ideas that can ease their suffering, irrespective of who puts them forward,” he said.

The Federal Government announced the 30-day discount on Thursday as part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising petrol prices.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the arrangement was not a return to subsidy but an offer to sell petrol at cost for an initial period of 30 days.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, questioned the distinction between the discount and the subsidy arrangement abolished by the administration, arguing that the new measure represented a shift from its earlier position.

“Simply put, Tinubu, who maintained a hardline stance on fuel subsidy removal, has gone back to his vomit,” he said.

He added: “The President must immediately apologise to Nigerians over the fuel subsidy removal now that he has realised his policy mistake, which has taken a huge toll on Nigerians economically since 2023.”

Frank questioned whether the temporary intervention would provide meaningful relief to Nigerians grappling with rising transport costs, food prices and declining purchasing power.

He said the removal of subsidy in May 2023 had affected households and businesses nationwide, as higher petrol prices increased the cost of transporting goods, running businesses and meeting basic household needs.

“For millions of Nigerians, the consequences of higher fuel prices have extended beyond the cost of filling a vehicle’s tank.

“Increased transport and logistics costs have put pressure on traders, manufacturers, farmers and small businesses, while households have had to contend with rising expenses for commuting, food and other necessities,” he said.

Frank argued that a 30-day discount could not reverse the cumulative effects of more than three years of economic pressure, particularly on workers and small-business owners whose earnings had struggled to keep pace with rising living costs.

He also questioned the scope and implementation of the intervention, asking how many NNPCL retail outlets would participate, how much petrol would be sold at discounted rates and what measures the government planned after the initial 30-day period.

He urged the government to explain how the arrangement would provide sustained relief to transport operators, traders, workers and low-income households rather than offer only temporary reprieve.

The former APC spokesman said the announcement had revived debate over Atiku’s proposal to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027.

In August, Atiku reiterated his position, declaring: “On the question of subsidy, my position has not changed and will not change: I will restore it!”

The former vice-president had argued that Nigeria should use its resources to protect citizens from severe economic hardship.

The Presidency, however, challenged the proposal, questioning its fiscal and legal basis and asking how a restored subsidy would avoid the problems associated with the previous system.

Frank said the Federal Government’s latest intervention had vindicated Atiku’s call for a subsidy arrangement to cushion Nigerians against rising fuel and transport costs.

“But now, having seen the light in Atiku’s proposal, Tinubu simply came down off his high horse and adopted the idea without any acknowledgments,” he said.

He warned the President against assuming that the temporary discount would erase public dissatisfaction over the economic consequences of subsidy removal.

“Nigerians are no fools. They know how their present economic predicament started with ‘fuel subsidy is gone’ in 2023. They will definitely use their votes to reclaim their country and set it on the path of economic progress come 2027,” he said.

Frank maintained that the central issue was not whether the government described its latest intervention as a discount or a subsidy, but whether it would deliver meaningful and sustained relief.

He called on the administration to explain how the measure would address the wider cost-of-living crisis and ease the burden of high energy and transport costs on households and businesses.

He insisted that Nigerians needed a coherent, long-term economic response rather than an intervention that would expire after 30 days.