Atiku Blasts Tinubu’s Transport Fare Reduction Plan

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has fired back at President Bola Tinubu’s transport fare reduction initiative, dismissing it as nothing more than a desperate attempt to manage public outcry over the fuel subsidy removal.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has come out swinging against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s latest plan to reduce transportation costs across Nigeria, saying the move is not any form of genuine policy innovation but rather a government in full panic mode.

Atiku, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, did not mince words as he responded to the Federal Government’s much-publicised transport fare reduction target — a move many Nigerians had hoped would bring some relief to the biting hardship caused by skyrocketing fuel prices following the removal of the petrol subsidy.

“This Is Not Policy — It’s Panic”

According to Atiku, what the Tinubu administration is presenting as a solution to Nigerians is nothing but a knee-jerk reaction to growing public anger over the economic consequences of the subsidy removal. He argued that a government that truly had a well-thought-out plan would not be scrambling to announce fare reductions after Nigerians have already been feeling the heat for months.

For millions of everyday Nigerians — from the danfo* rider in Lagos to the *keke passenger in Kano — transportation costs have become a serious burden since petrol prices shot through the roof. Many workers now spend a significant chunk of their daily earnings just getting to and from work, leaving little for food, rent, and other basic necessities.

Tinubu’s Transport Relief Plan Under the Microscope

The Federal Government had announced plans to reduce transportation fares as part of its palliative measures following the controversial subsidy removal. The initiative was presented as a way to cushion the effect of rising fuel costs on ordinary Nigerians.

However, critics like Atiku argue that announcing a fare reduction target without a solid, sustainable framework is simply putting a plaster on a deep wound. The question many Nigerians are asking is: how exactly does the government plan to enforce or sustain cheaper transport fares when fuel prices remain high?

The Bigger Picture

Atiku’s criticism taps into a wider frustration among Nigerians who feel that the Tinubu administration removed the fuel subsidy without an adequate safety net* in place for the most vulnerable citizens. While the government has maintained that subsidy removal was necessary to free up funds for development, the immediate reality for most Nigerians has been *higher transport fares, rising food prices, and increased cost of living.

For a country where a large percentage of the population lives on less than $2 a day, every naira counts — and promises of fare reductions without clear implementation plans ring hollow.

What Nigerians Are Saying

On the streets of Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and across the country, the sentiment is largely one of frustration and scepticism. Many Nigerians feel caught between a government defending difficult economic decisions and an opposition that criticises without offering clear alternatives.

As the back-and-forth between the presidency and opposition figures like Atiku continues, ordinary Nigerians are left wondering when — and if — real, tangible relief will arrive.

One thing is clear: with the 2027 elections already on the political horizon, the battle over Nigeria’s economic narrative is just getting started.

What do you think? Is the Federal Government’s transport fare reduction plan a genuine step forward, or is Atiku right to call it out? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
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