Mutfwang Accuses Buhari Government of Selling Nigeria’s Future Crude Oil, Says Tinubu Still Paying Debts

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has accused the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari of selling Nigeria’s crude oil before it was extracted, claiming that the Bola Tinubu-led government is still bearing the financial consequences.

Mutfwang made the allegation on Monday during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections at the Government House, Rayfield, Jos.

He blamed the economic difficulties inherited by the Tinubu administration in 2023 on decisions taken by the previous government, arguing that Nigerians should give the current administration time for its economic reforms to produce results.

“Part of the problem of the Buhari regime is that they got to a point that they didn’t know what to do, so they sold our future crude,” the governor said.

“The crude we are yet to dig from the ground has been sold in advance. And today we are paying that debt. And so we cannot expect things to simply change overnight,” he added.

The governor also described the fuel subsidy system under Buhari as a national fraud, alleging that public funds were borrowed to pay claims supported by fictitious documents.

He defended Tinubu’s decision to remove the subsidy, arguing that continuing to borrow money to settle fraudulent claims was unsustainable and that the country needed time to recover from the effects of the policy change.

Mutfwang acknowledged that petrol prices remained high but said fuel availability had improved since the subsidy was removed. He recalled the long queues at filling stations that characterised previous years, saying the country had made progress in addressing shortages.

The Plateau governor also defended the Tinubu administration’s economic performance, claiming that Nigeria’s foreign reserves had risen to more than $50bn.

He said Tinubu inherited an economy struggling to meet external debt obligations, with businesses and international airlines reportedly facing difficulties repatriating their earnings because of limited access to foreign exchange.

Mutfwang further highlighted measures introduced by his administration to reduce the impact of economic hardship in Plateau State. These include the introduction of Tin City Metro buses, the revival of rail services within Jos, a 50 per cent reduction in tuition fees at state-owned tertiary institutions and a 300 per cent increase in student allowances.

He also identified the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as one of the Federal Government’s interventions supporting Plateau indigenes in tertiary institutions.

On the 2027 presidential election, Mutfwang urged Nigerians to support Tinubu’s re-election, insisting that the country should respect the principle of power rotation between the North and South.

“We must agree that power should rotate between the North and the South. And if the North spends 8 years, which we have nothing to show for, it is only fair that we allow the South to do another 8 years,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the APC would win Plateau State in the coming elections, urging party members to prioritise grassroots mobilisation and peaceful, issue-based campaigns.

Earlier, the Director-General of the Mutfwang/Piyo 2027 Governorship Campaign Council, Sir Joseph N. Ari, disclosed that 115 support groups had expressed interest in backing the campaign. He pledged that the council would operate with discipline, teamwork and responsibility.

Ari also urged APC members to turn out on November 14, 2026, to welcome President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda and other national party leaders to the state.

Plateau APC Chairman, Rufus Bature, described the campaign council’s inauguration as an important step towards building a coordinated political structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.