2023 POLITICS: I'll continue from where we stopped, remove fuel subsidy totally– Atiku proclaims

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party's presidential candidate, yesterday pledged to review the Oronsaye report on the consolidation of federal institutions and to end the gasoline subsidy, which has been detrimental to the economy.

Atiku engaged the audience by discussing various economic issues, such as foreign exchange policy, the debt crisis, power, and the oil and gas industry, during his speech about his recovery plan for Nigeria at the Lagos Business School 2022 Alumnia Day, which was attended by business executives.

Additionally, he utilized the occasion to praise business interests for the PDP's achievements between 1999 and 2007. During his opening remarks, Atiku provided a quick overview of the PDP's economic achievements between 1999 and 2007, including debt elimination, privatization, banking reforms, and successful working relationships with the private sector.

Regarding the rising expense of government, the former vice president promised to review the Orosanye report and make sure the white paper report adhered to the fundamental idea of creating the committee.

He added that the goal of his privatization plan was to establish a good government, not to eliminate jobs.

Speaking on fuel subsidy, he noted how the PDP government had phased out subsidies in batches, saying “I was the chairman for the removal of fuel subsidy committee and I recall how we removed the phase 1 and phase 2 of   fuel subsidy.  ‘’I will continue from where we stopped, remove fuel subsidy totally and channel the subsidy funds back to the economy. In other words, it’s just a fraud.” 

He said:  “If you are talking about foreign debt, we have done it before, I will engage our creditors and ask for debt forgiveness or cancellation like we did before. Coming to local debt, if we stabilize the economy, we will borrow less, propose a flexible payment plan. “Again, I want you to compare our records with the current government and you can see who did well economically.” If elected president, he promised to clean up Nigeria's mess of a debt issue.

In order to improve Nigeria's crude production and ensure the privatization of the nation's three refineries, the former vice president promised to restructure the oil and gas industry by enlisting the appropriate investors.

Its primary goal is to decrease the number of children who miss school nationwide.

When asked about the independence of the CBN, Atiku claimed that its present leaders were taking their cues from the current administration, "which, in his opinion, lacks direction."