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Atiku accuses Tinubu of abandoning responsibility after previously celebrating the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery as a flagship achievement of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
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Former Vice President cites NNPC financial records showing refinery liabilities allegedly surged by over ₦4 trillion in 2024, demanding accountability for the expenditure.
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ADC presidential candidate says Nigerians deserve answers on what was achieved with the huge investments as fuel prices remain high and refining capacity remains in doubt.
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Presidency urged to stop blaming previous administrations, with Atiku arguing that after more than three years in office, Tinubu must take full responsibility for his administration’s record.
August 16, (THEWILL) — Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has launched a fresh attack on President Bola Tinubu over the state of Nigeria’s refineries, accusing the President of attempting to shift responsibility for what he described as the failure of his administration’s refinery rehabilitation programme.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that the Tinubu administration could no longer attribute the challenges facing the country’s refineries to previous governments after claiming credit for their rehabilitation and reopening.
The former Vice President said it was contradictory for the Federal Government to celebrate the resumption of operations at the Port Harcourt Refinery in 2024 as proof of the Renewed Hope Agenda, only to later describe the facilities as inherited liabilities after questions emerged over their performance.
According to Atiku, President Tinubu’s administration must explain how trillions of naira were committed to refinery rehabilitation without delivering sustainable refining capacity or reducing the burden on Nigerians.
Citing figures he attributed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Atiku claimed that the combined obligations of the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries rose from about ₦4.52 trillion at the end of 2023 to ₦8.67 trillion by the close of 2024, representing an increase of roughly ₦4.15 trillion within one year.
He maintained that the figures raised fundamental questions about the utilisation of public funds.
“President Tinubu cannot have it both ways. When the cameras were rolling in November 2024, his government told Nigerians that the Port Harcourt refinery was back. NNPC announced that it was operating at 70 per cent capacity and presented it as an achievement under President Tinubu’s leadership.
“Now that the celebration has turned into embarrassment, the same administration wants Nigerians to believe that the refineries are merely liabilities inherited from previous governments.
“Mr President, you claimed the refinery when you thought it was working. You cannot disown it now that the smoke has cleared,” Atiku said.
The ADC presidential candidate further alleged that admissions by the current NNPC management that refinery operations had resulted in “monumental losses” contradicted the government’s earlier claims of success.
He demanded explanations from the Federal Government on what tangible benefits Nigerians derived from the huge financial commitments made to the facilities.
According to him, Nigerians deserve to know where the funds were spent, why domestic refining has failed to deliver the expected outcomes, and why petrol prices remain high despite repeated assurances that refinery rehabilitation would ease fuel supply challenges.
Atiku argued that governance required accountability rather than shifting blame.
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“You cannot spend three years claiming credit for everything that appears to work and blaming your predecessors for everything that fails. Leadership does not work that way,” he said.
The former Vice President further described the refinery controversy as evidence of what he called a pattern of extravagant announcements without corresponding results, insisting that President Tinubu should accept responsibility for the performance of his administration rather than continually citing inherited challenges.
He also lamented what he described as the opportunity cost of the refinery investments, arguing that the trillions allegedly committed to the projects could have significantly improved critical sectors such as education, healthcare, road infrastructure, electricity and water supply.
According to him, the continued struggles of ordinary Nigerians amid rising living costs made the refinery expenditure even more difficult to justify.
Noting that after more than three years in office, President Tinubu could no longer rely on inherited liabilities as an explanation for governance failures, Atiku argued the administration had become accountable for its own record and should provide transparent explanations for the management of public resources.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
