The debate over fuel subsidy has returned to the centre of the 2027 presidential race after the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, said an NDC government would restore subsidy “in our own way.”
Kwankwaso, running mate to Peter Obi, made the declaration on a national television programme, describing President Bola Tinubu’s removal of subsidy in May 2023 as a mistake that plunged the country into a “total mess.”
He said the NDC would work to reduce petrol prices through increased government investment in domestic refining, arguing that if private individuals could build refineries, the government could do the same to meet minimum national requirements.
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Sowore Faults Inconsistency
Reacting, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, faulted politicians who keep shifting positions on the sensitive policy.
Sowore said such inconsistency showed evasiveness and a lack of clarity on a policy with direct consequences for Nigerians.
His intervention highlights a clear policy split within the NDC ticket. While Kwankwaso advocates a return of subsidy in a different form, Obi has maintained support for subsidy removal.
Obi restated the position in August at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Port Harcourt, saying he still supports removal but faulted the management of savings from the policy.
2027 Economic Debate Heats Up
Kwankwaso said the NDC would not return to the old arrangement but would adopt a new mechanism.
“We are bringing subsidy in our own way. We will do whatever it takes to bring down the price of petrol,” he said.
The conflicting positions have reignited debate over opposition economic blueprints ahead of 2027, with questions over whether the NDC presidential and vice-presidential candidates share a common position.
The issue is expected to feature prominently as campaigns intensify.
