By: Mardiyyah Abubakar
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has promised to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027, reversing his earlier position on the policy.
Obi made the declaration during a televised interview on Tuesday, arguing that corruption, rather than the subsidy itself, was the major problem with the scheme.
During his 2023 presidential campaign, the former Anambra State governor had supported the removal of petrol subsidy, saying the funds should be redirected to education, healthcare and infrastructure.
Explaining his new position, Obi said his administration would retain the subsidy after eliminating the corruption associated with its implementation.
“Yes. But remember, I have qualified it, not with the corruption that’s associated with it. I’ll remove the corruption and retain the subsidy,” he said.
His position comes about two weeks after his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, said an NDC government would reintroduce subsidy “in our own way” if elected in 2027.
Kwankwaso had said the party would focus on increasing investment in local refineries and domestic petroleum production to make petrol more affordable for Nigerians.
Obi also rejected calls for him to step down for another opposition candidate if opposition parties agree to field a consensus candidate for the 2027 election.
“We don’t need to step down. We need to do the right thing,” he said.
He further said his administration would tackle corruption by ensuring that the President, immediate family members and government officials do not engage in corrupt practices.
The petrol subsidy debate is expected to remain a major issue ahead of the 2027 presidential election as political parties present different approaches to addressing fuel prices and economic hardship.
PUNCH
