A single TV appearance has thrown the ADC’s 2027 campaign into chaos.
On Tuesday, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and his own media aide, Paul Ibe, gave Nigerians two completely different versions of his fuel subsidy plan, and the clash played out in less than 24 hours.
Aide Sparks Firestorm On Live TV
The drama began on AIT. Paul Ibe sat down for an interview and tried to soften the message.
According to Ibe, Nigerians should not expect a full return to the old subsidy days if Atiku wins in 2027. He said any support would only be temporary.
“The proposed return of fuel subsidy would be phased out,” Ibe told viewers. He added that Atiku’s plan was not to pour money into imports, but to use Nigeria’s crude oil to boost local refining and bring pump prices down.
For millions struggling with transport fares and food costs, it sounded like a cautious, middle-ground approach.
Atiku Strikes Back Hours Later
But by that same evening, Atiku himself walked into a meeting with stakeholders and tore up the script.
He did not mince words. The former vice president said Ibe did not speak for him, and that he stood firmly by a full restoration of fuel subsidy.
“When I said I would return the fuel subsidy, I will,” Atiku declared. “Nigeria is rich enough to look after the welfare of its citizens.”
He blamed the current subsidy removal for deepening poverty, saying it has pushed more Nigerians into hardship “than at any other time in the history of this country.”
Subsidy Battle Becomes 2027 Flashpoint
In one day, the ADC campaign went from messaging discipline to open contradiction.
Ibe offered a phased, reform-driven exit. Atiku offered an immediate, welfare-driven return.
The disagreement lays bare how central fuel subsidy has become ahead of 2027. For voters, it is no longer just about price at the pump. It is about who gets to define Atiku’s economic promise, the candidate or the people speaking for him.
With the election clock ticking, the party now has to decide which version of Atiku Nigerians will hear next.
