The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected claims by the Presidency that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to reduce petrol prices to about N600 per litre amounts to a return to Nigeria’s old fuel subsidy regime.

The party said Atiku’s proposal was instead a controlled production incentive for domestic refineries, designed to lower the cost of petrol while strengthening local refining capacity.

The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this in response to the Presidency’s criticism of the proposal.

According to him, “The Presidency has based its argument on a projected N19.1 trillion cost without properly considering how Atiku’s proposal is structured or the wider economic benefits of cheaper fuel produced locally.”

He added, “We are at a loss how the presidency conjured up this phantom figure. But we do not agree with it,” 

Abdullahi explained that Atiku’s plan would have a fiscal limit and mechanisms for monitoring the movement of crude from refinery intake to finished petroleum products.

The party argued that the Presidency was criticising the old subsidy system rather than Atiku’s proposed controlled subsidy plan, which it said was intended to replace it.

The ADC also questioned the government’s justification for providing incentives to oil producers while rejecting measures aimed at reducing the burden of high fuel prices on Nigerians.

Abdullahi referred to offshore oil production incentives that can reach $11.50 per barrel, asking why a similar, controlled incentive for domestic refineries should be considered unacceptable.

“If Nigeria can provide a production-linked fiscal incentive of up to $11.50 per barrel to stimulate offshore oil production, why is a carefully controlled crude-input incentive for domestic refineries dismissed as economic madness when its objective is to make fuel cheaper for Nigerians and build domestic refining capacity?” he asked.

The ADC further argued that the cost of maintaining high petrol prices should also be considered when assessing Atiku’s proposal.

It said expensive petrol had contributed to higher transportation costs, food prices, production expenses and the wider cost-of-living crisis.

The party maintained that its proposal would be capped, audited and traceable, while potentially reducing petroleum imports, saving foreign exchange and supporting domestic refining.

Joseph Atule has wasted no time turning his personal ambition into action, opening his EuroMatch NPFL campaign with a goal as Barau FC defeated Nasarawa United 3-1 at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano on Sunday.

The Barau FC winger had spoken before the season about challenging himself to reach 19 or 20 goals during the campaign. On Matchday One, he took the first step towards that target by scoring Barau’s opening goal and the club’s first of the new EuroMatch NPFL season.

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Atule struck in the 15th minute, giving Barau FC an early advantage and immediately putting his name among the first individual performers to watch in the new campaign. Nasarawa United responded through Abubakar Abdullahi, but Barau eventually pulled away late, with Al-Amin Umar scoring in the 78th minute before Sugau Aliyu completed the 3-1 victory four minutes later.

For Atule, however, the importance of the goal goes beyond the scoreline.

It is the first piece of evidence that his ambitious personal target is not merely talk.

The former Enyimba forward contributed eight goals and five assists for Barau FC last season as the Kano club finished eighth in their first NPFL campaign. He now wants considerably more from himself this time around.

“I have sat and thought about it. I’ve also challenged myself,” Atule said before the season. “If I am not going to score 20 goals, it should be a lot of goals.”

His opening-day goal suggests that the challenge has already begun.

There was also a difficult moment for Atule during the match. According to one match report, the winger saw a penalty saved in the second half, but rather than allowing the miss to affect his performance, Barau continued pushing forward and eventually secured a convincing victory.

That response may be just as significant as the goal itself.

A striker’s season is rarely defined by every chance converted. It is often defined by how quickly a player responds when something goes wrong.

Atule responded by remaining involved as Barau continued to press, eventually producing a performance that helped the newly established Kano side begin the season with maximum points.

The conditions in Kano also provided their own challenge. Weather records for August 30 indicate temperatures around 31–33°C, with forecasts also pointing to isolated thunderstorms and a possibility of rain in the area.

But neither the heat nor the pressure of an opening-day fixture stopped Atule from making his mark.

And that is exactly the type of individual story the EuroMatch NPFL needs.

A player with a target.

A player with something to prove.

A player who has already put one goal on the board.

For Barau FC, the bigger objective is collective: to build on their impressive opening victory and establish themselves as a serious force in the league.

For Atule, the challenge is more personal.

Nineteen to 20 goals is the target. One is already in the bag.

The EuroMatch NPFL has only just begun, but *Joseph Atule has already given the league another player to watch.*