Nigeria Will Never Return To Egypt — Showunmi Slams Atiku Over Subsidy Promise

The Chief Promoter of the Alternative Movement, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has faulted former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s plan to restore petrol subsidy, saying it would take Nigeria “back to Egypt.”

Atiku, who is the African Democratic Congress [ADC] presidential candidate for the 2027 election, had said he would restore petrol subsidy if elected, arguing that Nigerians should benefit from the country’s resources and that subsidy removal has worsened living conditions.

Speaking on Saturday in Abeokuta during a sensitisation and mobilisation programme in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, Showunmi rejected the proposal and defended the economic direction of the Tinubu administration.

“We have tried subsidies in this country. We started it from 1973. And between 1973 and date, we have seen the result. If it had worked, wouldn’t we have seen it?” Showunmi asked.

“We have seen that nothing has worked. They couldn’t even repair a refinery for so many years. And one private sector person has run a refinery.”

He described proponents of subsidy return as “overtly and inordinately ambitious,” insisting Nigeria will not go back.

“Forward ever, backward never,” he said, adding that Nigeria will never return to Egypt.

Showunmi said he has spent the past one year defending the economic policies of the Tinubu administration, which he described as the right direction for the country.

“If you have been following me, and I know you have, for the past one year, I have been screaming and shouting that the economic direction, the policy ideas, and the things that President Bola Tinubu is doing, is the right direction for the country,” he said.

According to him, government revenues have improved across the three tiers.

“Now you have gotten to the point where there’s money in the local government, there’s money in the state, there’s money in the federal,” he said.

He argued for continuity, saying governments need time to implement long-term policies.

“We cannot be changing leadership every four years. Democracy is very difficult, and the ability to be able to even run policy requires a bit of time,” he said.

Showunmi said he has begun grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 election, starting from polling units.

“I’ve empowered them, I’ve told them to enter the polling unit and start the polling unit work,” he said, adding that the mobilisation will extend to the six local governments in Ogun Central.

“We are not social media politicians. We are not television politicians. I am a grassroots politician through and through,” he said.

On growing opposition to Tinubu from politicians in the South, Showunmi said he was not worried.

“You will never see the moon and the star come out when the sun is out. Anybody, especially from Yoruba nation, who is calling himself anything, when the sun is out, is wasting his time,” he said.

He said those aspiring to challenge Tinubu are wasting resources.

“Anyone who says he is going to be running up and down television, deceiving himself, wasting the little resources he has, claiming that he can win presidency here, he is a joker. This election is Bola Tinubu’s election to win,” he said.

Showunmi appealed to Yoruba voters to rally behind Tinubu, warning against a situation where the North produces more votes for the President than the South-West.

“I have come home to beg the Yoruba people that you will not be ashamed. Because when the election is over, and the people of North-East, and the people of North-West, and the people of North-Central produce more votes than you, then where will you put your face? Therefore, it is time to work now. We are back to 2003,” he said.