Politics

“Close Your Mouth”: Amaechi, Sowore, Obi Clash Over Fuel Subsidy in Heated NBA Debate

Published

1 month ago

August 25, 2026

Peter Obi, Omoyele Sowore and Rorimi Amaechi

“Close Your Mouth”: Amaechi, Sowore, Obi Clash Over Fuel Subsidy in Heated NBA Debate

The 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, turned into a fiery political battleground on Monday as three prominent political figures engaged in a heated exchange over fuel subsidy removal, governance records, and Nigeria’s political future ahead of the 2027 elections. The panel session, which was one of the major highlights of the conference themed “Beyond Limits,” brought together presidential hopefuls including Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), Rotimi Amaechi, Vice Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), who offered competing solutions to Nigeria’s worsening economic and governance challenges. What began as a policy debate quickly escalated into shouting matches, personal attacks, and sharp exchanges as the politicians traded barbs over their records in public office.

Omoyele Sowore, the AAC presidential candidate, opened the debate by asserting his long-standing opposition to fuel subsidy removal, accusing past and present leaders of shifting positions at the expense of ordinary Nigerians. “If there’s anyone who has been consistent about non-removal of fuel subsidy, it has been me. And it took Amaechi and his principal almost 10 years to catch up with me. They have now reversed their position on fuel subsidy,” Sowore declared. Sowore challenged the economic justification for the policy, arguing that the real beneficiaries of subsidy removal were political elites and state governors rather than the masses. “The question about subsidy is, who are you subsidising? You are subsidising the elite. You are subsidising the governors. The only people who are doing well since they removed subsidy are the governors of states,” he said. He also rejected the impression that subsidy removal was a new policy, recalling that previous administrations had removed or attempted to remove subsidies while promising Nigerians better economic conditions. “I was a student in 1989, they removed subsidy. In 1990, they removed subsidy. They said Nigeria will be better. We are in 2026, they are still removing subsidy,” Sowore said. Referencing an earlier comment by Amaechi, Sowore noted: “I love one thing that Amaechi said. He said, apart from Sowore and Adebayo, the rest of us have been in government and we have failed. They have no business coming back. You guys should be apologising to the Nigerian people.”

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A visibly frustrated Amaechi quickly interjected, cutting Sowore off mid-sentence to refute the characterization of his remarks. “Stop lying. Stop lying, Sowore. I said, judge us by our achievements,” Amaechi fired back. Unfazed by the interruption, Sowore turned his sights directly to Amaechi’s record as a former governor of Rivers State and former Minister of Transportation. “When it comes to subsidy, right? Transportation policy is important. We have a former governor of Rivers State here, Amaechi, who built a rail line that went nowhere. If that rail line was working, subsidy would have been working for the people of Rivers State,” Sowore argued. Responding, Amaechi defended his record as governor and as former Minister, highlighting his administration’s construction of roads, primary schools, and major rail projects like the Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna railways. The ADC vice-presidential candidate quipped: “Where are Rivers lawyers? Let them take Sowore around and show him what I did as a former Governor.” Amaechi asked lawyers from Lagos, Ogun, and Kaduna states to confirm if the railway systems were still working in their states, noting that the Lagos-Ibadan railway was operational during his tenure and questioning why it was not working under President Bola Tinubu. When Sowore interjected again, Amaechi lost his cool and declared: “Moreover, Sowore, when politicians are talking, close your mouth.”

Turning his criticism to Peter Obi, Sowore alleged that Obi had failed to subsidise education during his tenure as Anambra State governor. “Peter Obi did not subsidise education in his state. Lecturers and doctors went on strike for 13 months. You may like him as a person, but he did not perform as a governor. That is the truth,” Amaechi said. Amaechi also argued that transportation policy should form part of the conversation around fuel subsidy, and he defended his own record as Minister of Transportation, saying the Lagos-Ajaokuta railway was operational during his tenure. He also used the opportunity to issue a broader challenge to Nigerians, urging voters to judge politicians by competence rather than ethnic or sectional loyalties. “A coalition should be based on performance. And I speak to you, you should do a referendum. We have all served in government. Atiku has served in government, Peter Obi has served in government, I have served in government and others. Assess us by our last performance and choose,” he said. He warned that Nigeria would continue to struggle with underdevelopment if Nigerians continued to vote along ethnic lines without considering the past performance of candidates. “Don’t just go because you are from Ikwerre or you are from Omoku and choose your own. No! That’s why we are running down,” Amaechi said.

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Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), defended the necessity of removing fuel subsidy, maintaining that while he supports the policy, his administration would have executed it differently to directly benefit citizens. “I subscribe and I maintain that you need to remove subsidy. Mismanagement of the proceeds should not be the reason for not removing it,” Obi said. Obi argued that the problem was not the policy itself but the failure of government to properly utilise the resources saved from it. “What we should have done is that when we remove subsidy, we would have given the people alternative usage for the subsidy. What we have today is that that removal and the attendant resources being recovered are also being mismanaged and stolen,” he said. Citing reported savings of approximately N16 trillion from the subsidy removal, Obi noted that just five per cent of that amount—about N800 billion—could be used to build primary healthcare centres across all 8,809 wards in Nigeria. He also suggested that the savings could have been added to Nigeria’s sovereign wealth fund to generate long-term returns. “If they had saved the money and decided to do like any other country, we would have had $10 billion added to the sovereign wealth fund, which, if you add it today, we will be getting about $10 billion every month, which we can use for a purpose,” Obi said. Obi also emphasised that a Nigerian economy driven by production rather than consumption would work wonders for the country. “Nigeria is poor today because it is not a productive country. Some of us might not be aware that two years ago, Ukraine, which is at war, gave us grain. We are hungry today because Nigeria is not a productive country,” he said.

The drama took an interesting turn when a young lawyer at the conference challenged Amaechi’s reported claim that Sowore could not win a presidential election, arguing that opposition politicians should unite and suggesting that Peter Obi remains the most popular among the contenders. The intervention highlighted the growing appetite among Nigerians for a coalition of opposition forces ahead of the 2027 elections. The NBA conference thus provided one of the earliest major platforms for 2027 presidential hopefuls to publicly test their competing positions on governance, economic management, and accountability, setting the stage for a potentially intense political contest ahead of the general elections. The clash over fuel subsidy—a policy that has significantly impacted the cost of living for millions of Nigerians—remains a central dividing line among the candidates, with Sowore opposing it outright, Obi supporting it but criticising its implementation, and Amaechi arguing for accountability and performance-based governance.

“Close Your Mouth”: Amaechi, Sowore, Obi Clash Over Fuel Subsidy in Heated NBA Debate

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Politics

Killings, Hardship: Northern Islamic Clerics Tell Tinubu to Drop 2027 Ambition

Published

9 hours ago

October 8, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Killings, Hardship: Northern Islamic Clerics Tell Tinubu to Drop 2027 Ambition

More than 1,000 northern Islamic clerics have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to abandon his ambition to seek re-election in 2027, citing persistent killings, kidnappings, terrorism and economic hardship across the country.

The clerics made the demand in a communiqué issued after a national conference in Kano titled “An Assessment of the State of the Nation under President Tinubu and the 2027 General Elections.”

The conference was organised under the Ko Da Naka platform in collaboration with the AFAQ Educational Foundation.

The clerics expressed particular concern over worsening insecurity in the North-West, where communities have continued to face attacks, kidnappings and other forms of violence.

They urged the Federal Government to take stronger and more effective measures to protect lives and property, warning that the security situation should be a major consideration in determining who Nigerians support in the 2027 elections.

The clerics also asked Tinubu to reconsider his plan to seek another term in office.

They said that if the President decides to contest despite what they described as the country’s worsening security and economic challenges, Nigerians should reject his candidacy at the polls.

The group said political leaders must be judged by their performance in office rather than party affiliation, ethnic identity or regional interests.

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The clerics also criticised key economic policies of the Tinubu administration, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, changes to the foreign exchange regime, increases in electricity tariffs and ongoing tax reforms.

They argued that the policies had contributed to rising living costs and increased pressure on households, businesses and vulnerable Nigerians.

According to the clerics, the government should review policies that have increased the cost of living and focus more on improving citizens’ welfare.

They also raised concerns about the continued migration of skilled Nigerian professionals, including doctors, teachers and engineers, to other countries.

The clerics attributed the trend partly to poor working conditions, inadequate facilities, unemployment and economic pressures, urging the government to create better opportunities for professionals to remain in Nigeria.

They further called on Islamic scholars and religious leaders to remain independent and speak against wrongdoing regardless of the political party, ethnicity or religion of those involved.

The clerics urged Nigerians to place national interest above religious, ethnic and political considerations when choosing leaders in 2027.

They said voters should assess political candidates based on their competence, integrity, experience and policies rather than relying solely on party loyalty.

The intervention comes as political parties and presidential aspirants intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with insecurity, economic hardship and governance expected to feature prominently in the political debate.

The clerics’ position adds another voice to the growing scrutiny of the Tinubu administration as political activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election gather momentum.

Killings, Hardship: Northern Islamic Clerics Tell Tinubu to Drop 2027 Ambition

Politics

2027: Donald Duke Pledges To Bring Petrol Price Down To N300 Per Litre

Published

23 hours ago

October 7, 2026

Trends Admin

Donald Duke

2027: Donald Duke Pledges To Bring Petrol Price Down To N300 Per Litre

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has pledged to work towards reducing the price of petrol to about N300 per litre if elected president in the 2027 presidential election.

Duke, a former governor of Cross River State, made the pledge during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he outlined his proposed approach to the petroleum sector and Nigeria’s wider economy.

The PRP candidate said petroleum products for domestic consumption should be priced based on the cost of production rather than being fully exposed to international market prices.

He proposed allocating about 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day for domestic consumption, while selling the remaining crude on the international market.

Asked what petrol could cost under his proposed administration, Duke said: “I will try and bring it to about N300.”

He acknowledged that the target could appear ambitious but maintained that his proposed crude allocation and domestic pricing model could make it achievable.

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Duke argued that fuel prices have a direct impact on transportation, businesses and household expenses, making affordable energy important to economic activity.

“Fuel drives your economy. It should be available. It should be affordable,” he said.

The former Cross River governor also indicated that he would pursue a different economic approach from the policies of President Bola Tinubu if elected.

His proposal comes amid continuing debate over petrol prices, fuel subsidy removal, domestic refining and crude oil allocation in Nigeria.

The N300 target is part of Duke’s proposed 2027 economic agenda and would depend on the implementation of the policies he has outlined if he wins the presidential election.

2027: Donald Duke Pledges To Bring Petrol Price Down To N300 Per Litre

Politics

2027: Obi Makes U-Turn, Vows to Restore Fuel Subsidy If Elected

Published

1 day ago

October 7, 2026

Trends Admin

2027: Obi Makes U-Turn, Vows to Restore Fuel Subsidy If Elected

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has said he would restore Nigeria’s petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027, arguing that the major problem with the policy is the corruption surrounding its implementation.

Obi made the declaration during a recent interview with the BBC, where he was asked directly whether he would bring back the subsidy if elected.

“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.

The position marks a significant shift from comments Obi made in August, when he said the removal of fuel subsidy should not be reversed simply because proceeds from the policy were allegedly being mismanaged.

Speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Obi said at the time that he supported subsidy removal but argued that the savings should be properly invested in healthcare, education and other productive sectors.

“I subscribe, and I maintain that you need to remove subsidy. Mismanagement of the proceeds should not be the reason for not removing it,” he had said.

Obi has now drawn a distinction between the subsidy itself and what he describes as the corruption associated with the scheme.

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“From day one, I’ve talked about subsidy. I talked about corruption; corruption is the problem of subsidy,” he told the BBC.

The latest position also comes shortly after his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, said an NDC administration would introduce fuel subsidy in its own way if the party wins the 2027 presidential election.

Kwankwaso had argued that the party would seek ways to make petrol more affordable while improving domestic refining and petroleum production.

The fuel subsidy debate has remained a major political and economic issue since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced its removal on May 29, 2023.

The decision caused petrol prices to rise sharply and has remained a contentious issue amid concerns over inflation, living costs and household purchasing power.

The Federal Government has continued to defend subsidy removal as a necessary economic reform, while opposition politicians have proposed different approaches to reducing the impact of petrol prices on Nigerians.

Obi also addressed the question of opposition unity ahead of the 2027 election, rejecting suggestions that he should step aside for another candidate if opposition parties eventually agree to a consensus candidate.

“We don’t need to step down. We need to do the right thing,” he said, arguing that opposition parties should focus on mobilising more voters.

On corruption, Obi said his approach would begin with his own conduct and that of his family. He also contrasted his proposed leadership style with that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he would exercise greater control over his administration if elected.

With the 2027 presidential election approaching, Obi’s renewed pledge to retain or restore fuel subsidy is expected to keep the policy at the centre of economic and political debates, particularly as parties present competing proposals on petrol pricing and the cost of living.