Nigeria, Sept. 3 -- Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga called Atiku Abubakar a "perennial candidate for the presidency of Nigeria" in his first official attack on the former Vice President's promise to reintroduce fuel subsidy. Atiku is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu himself said Atiku is "ignorant of governance" or perhaps of how subsidy works. He may be all of that and more. But how about debating the message: Tinubu's subsidy removal, its discontents and its gains, if any?

Instructively, since Atiku threw the first salvo, the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) has switched to panic mode, reacting, rebutting, rebuking, scrutinising and attacking almost every sta...