Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has said an Atiku Abubakar-led administration would reduce the cost of transportation, fuel and food within its first year in office.

Amaechi made the claim on Friday while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he criticised the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and outlined some of the ADC’s proposed measures.

He said the removal of petrol and electricity subsidies had intensified economic hardship, leaving many Nigerians struggling to afford basic necessities.

“Everybody is suffering, everybody is looking for food to eat. People can’t buy fuel or travel. The airlines are threatening to increase the cost of transportation; everything is skyrocketing,” he said.

The former Rivers State Governor also faulted Tinubu over his administration’s promises on electricity supply, arguing that Nigerians were still waiting for the improvements promised by the President.

“For Christ’s sake, President Tinubu does not have the right to speak; he doesn’t. He promised power and said if he doesn’t give power, they should not vote for him. Nigerians are waiting to vote him out,” he said.

Amaechi stated that Atiku has pledged to reintroduce subsidy measures as part of efforts to ease the economic burden on Nigerians.

“Atiku said I should tell you people that he will bring back the subsidy. Tinubu removed subsidy for electricity bill. He said Band A, B and C,” Amaechi said.

He cited the increase in his household electricity bill as an example of the impact of the current electricity tariff structure.

“My house electricity bill was N500,000; now I pay N4 million. Atiku said if he comes, I will go back to N500,000. No more Band A and B because government will subsidise it,” he said.

Amaechi also linked the increase in food and transportation costs to the removal of petrol subsidy.

“He just held microphone and didn’t care. He just said remove subsidy. Since he removed subsidy, transportation increased, food prices increased, tomatoes, corn, everything,” he said.

He added, “Atiku said he will bring back subsidy. If Atiku brings back subsidy, everything will come down.”

Clarifying the nature of the proposed intervention, Amaechi said the ADC was advocating production subsidy rather than a return to the former consumer subsidy regime.

“The greatest asset you have is that the presidential candidate has said, I will bring back subsidy. We are not saying we are putting back consumer subsidy. We say we are putting back production subsidy,” he said.

On education, Amaechi claimed that the number of out-of-school children had increased under the Tinubu administration, putting the figure at 20 million.

“The number of out-of-school children has risen from 12 million to 20 million under Tinubu,” he said, adding that the number of illiterate Nigerians now stands at 92 million.

He also attributed worsening insecurity partly to farmers’ inability to access their farmlands.

“Insecurity also increased. You no even fit go farm, and government doesn’t care,” he said.

Explaining his decision to contest the 2027 election, Amaechi said his motivation was his understanding of the challenges facing the country.

“I don’t care who else is running. I’m running because I’m a Nigerian candidate. Because I know the Nigerian problem. And I can solve the Nigerian problem,” he said.

Amaechi further expressed confidence in the ADC’s prospects if the party appears on the ballot in 2027.

“Whether free and fair or not free, if we [ADC] are on the ballot, President Bola Tinubu will lose the election,” Amaechi added.