A prominent support group has dismissed opposition claims that Nigeria’s fuel subsidy removal has failed to deliver economic benefits, accusing critics of “selective amnesia.”

The Democratic Front (TDF), a group aligned with the administration of President Bola Tinubu, issued a scathing rebuttal on Monday following an assessment by the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The opposition party had earlier questioned where the “savings” from the 2023 subsidy removal were being spent, citing a rising poverty index.

In a statement signed by Chairman Danjuma Muhammad, the TDF argued that the ADC’s data was “not reflective of the reality on the ground” and ignored the “gloomy and vulnerable” state of the economy inherited by the president.

‘Revisionist cards’

The TDF pointed out that during the 2023 election cycle, nearly all major political parties—including the ADC’s own candidates—had campaigned on the promise to end the controversial petrol subsidy.

“It is unacceptable that the leaders of the party have elected to play the revisionist card,” the group stated, adding that the policy was a “top priority” for almost every presidential aspirant.

The pro-government bloc argued that the benefits of the policy are already visible in:

• State Solvency: An “astronomical rise” in disbursements from the federation account (FAAC), which has allowed struggling state governments to pay salaries and clear debts.
• Social Investment: Massive funding for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and healthcare transformation.
• Economic Diversification: Significant growth in non-oil exports and solid minerals.

Analysis: The battle for the ‘Subsidy Narrative’

The removal of the fuel subsidy remains the most contentious economic decision of the Tinubu era. While it has freed up trillions of Naira for the government, it has also triggered record-high inflation and a cost-of-living crisis that has squeezed the Nigerian middle class.

The ADC’s “inquest” into the savings reflects a growing public demand for transparency. However, the TDF’s counter-argument shifts the focus back to the “sub-national” level, effectively telling Nigerians to look at their state governors—who are now receiving record monthly allocations—to explain where the subsidy money is going.

As the 2027 election cycle approaches, the “subsidy savings” debate is likely to become a central pillar of the opposition’s campaign. By dismissing the ADC’s data as “myopic,” the TDF is attempting to frame the current economic pain as a necessary, short-term sacrifice for long-term structural stability.