Atiku Aide Denies NNPC Sale Claim

The political landscape in Nigeria is once again buzzing with debate following a surprising clarification regarding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s stance on the nation’s oil giant. Paul Ibe, a long-time spokesperson for Atiku, recently took to the airwaves to address one of the most persistent criticisms leveled against his principal: the infamous suggestion that Atiku would sell the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to his personal associates.

Appearing on Trust TV on Sunday, January 25, 2026, Ibe dismissed the narrative as a gross misinterpretation of a lighthearted moment. He characterized the original comments as “banter” between a seasoned politician and a reporter, rather than a formal policy declaration. According to Ibe, the idea that Atiku intended to favor his friends with national assets was “a joke taken too far,” fueled by political mischief-makers looking to score easy points.

Ibe’s clarification comes as the opposition begins to calibrate its strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections. While discussing the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the broader coalition efforts, Ibe argued that the public should focus on the underlying economic logic rather than the rhetoric. He insisted that the true “takeaway” from Atiku’s consistent messaging is the urgent need to dispose of moribund government assets that have become a drain on the national treasury.

The spokesperson didn’t hold back in his assessment of Nigeria’s current energy infrastructure. He pointed out that despite massive annual spending on salaries and maintenance, none of the nation’s refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt, or Warri are operational. Ibe questioned why the government continues to hold onto these non-performing assets, reiterating Atiku’s core philosophy that “government has no business doing business.” He argued that the state should instead focus on creating an environment where the private sector can drive efficiency and investment.

This controversy has its roots in the 2019 presidential campaign, where Atiku’s bold stance on privatization first ignited a firestorm. At a business forum in Lagos, he famously swore that he would privatize the NNPC even if it cost him his life. In that same breath, he made the comment that has haunted his campaign ever since: that he would rather enrich his friends than see national resources wasted, provided the process was free of corruption.

While those remarks were initially seen as a move toward cronyism, the Atiku camp has spent years trying to reframe them as a call for transparent, market-driven reform. Ibe’s recent appearance follows a similar attempt made by Atiku in Kaduna shortly after the 2019 fallout, where he clarified that any sale of the NNPC would be an open process designed for the development of the country.

The resurgence of this debate highlights the deep-seated anxiety Nigerians feel regarding the management of their oil wealth. As the 2026 budget cycle begins and the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) continues to undergo scrutiny, the question of whether the NNPC should remain a state-run entity or be fully listed on the capital market remains a central theme in national discourse.

For Ibe and the Atiku camp, the goal remains shifting the conversation away from “jokes” and toward what they describe as a “pragmatic economic roadmap.” As the 2027 race looms, the challenge will be whether they can convince an skeptical electorate that privatization is the key to prosperity, rather than a gift to the well-connected.