Don’t Pretend’ – Hashim Fires Back At Atiku Over Fuel Subsidy Plan

.The presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his recent position on the removal of fuel subsidy, accusing him of reversing his earlier stance without acknowledging his previous position.

Hashim called on Atiku, who is the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to apologise to Nigerians if he had changed his position on the controversial policy.

Speaking during an interview with Trust TV, Hashim argued that politicians should be transparent when circumstances or evidence cause them to reconsider previously held positions, rather than acting as though they had never supported such policies.

According to IREPORTERONLINE, Hashim maintained that he had consistently opposed the removal of subsidy on petroleum products and continued to support its restoration as part of measures to protect Nigerians and productive sectors from severe economic hardship.

He accused some politicians of changing their positions on subsidy removal as the 2027 election approaches, describing such reversals as lacking honesty and accountability.

Hashim specifically alleged that Atiku had historically supported subsidy removal and broader privatisation policies, recalling his role as Vice President and head of the economic team during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He said the administration increased petroleum prices and attempted to remove subsidy in 1999, a move he claimed was opposed by him and other members of the Peoples Democratic Party at the time.

Hashim recalled that he and other party officials publicly challenged the policy, while the National Assembly also passed resolutions against the move, eventually forcing the government to reverse its decision.

He argued that his own opposition to subsidy removal was not politically motivated, stressing that he had maintained the position even when doing so was not electorally advantageous.

The Accord presidential candidate also pointed out that Atiku, President Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi had all campaigned on promises to remove fuel subsidy during the 2023 presidential election, while candidates such as Omoyele Sowore and Adewole Adebayo opposed the policy.

Hashim said the current debate over subsidy removal should therefore be approached with honesty and historical accuracy, rather than being driven by electoral considerations.

He further criticised sections of the media for allegedly failing to properly scrutinise politicians who change their positions on major national issues.

According to him, influential politicians sometimes adopt ideas previously promoted by less prominent figures and subsequently receive greater media attention for them.

Hashim insisted that Nigerians deserve leaders who can clearly explain why their positions change and accept responsibility for their previous decisions.