Obi Drops Bombshell, Vows to Bring Back Petrol Subsidy

Obi Drops Bombshell, Vows to Bring Back Petrol Subsidy

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has pledged to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in the 2027 general elections, saying his administration would first tackle corruption in the system.

Obi made the declaration on Monday, September 28, 2026, at an NDC town hall meeting in Sokoto attended by his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, party leaders and supporters.

He said the major problem associated with the fuel subsidy system was corruption, insisting that his administration would address the loopholes that had allegedly allowed public funds meant for the sector to be mismanaged.

Obi said his government would eliminate corruption and ensure that any subsidy provided by the state directly benefits Nigerians.

The pledge represents a change from a position Obi expressed earlier in 2026, when he supported the removal of petrol subsidy and argued that mismanagement of savings from the policy should not be used as a reason to restore it.

His latest position came shortly after Kwankwaso proposed that an NDC administration would reintroduce fuel subsidy in a different form if elected.

Obi subsequently backed the proposal, explaining that the planned arrangement would be accompanied by greater transparency in the petroleum sector.

He said an NDC government would establish mechanisms for monitoring crude oil production, petroleum transactions, imports, exports and government revenues to ensure that government intervention in the sector was transparent and beneficial to Nigerians.

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The proposed policy comes against the background of the petrol subsidy removal implemented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in 2023.

The removal has remained one of Nigeria’s most contentious economic policies, with its supporters arguing that it freed government resources for other purposes, while critics have pointed to the impact of higher petrol prices and living costs.

The issue has also become a major subject of debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with opposition candidates putting forward different proposals on how to reduce fuel costs.

Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, has also proposed a form of subsidy focused on supporting locally refined petroleum products.

Obi, however, said his proposed system would be different from the previous arrangement because it would be backed by stronger monitoring and transparency.

Beyond the fuel subsidy debate, Obi used the Sokoto engagement to outline other priorities of a potential NDC administration.

He listed education, security and national unity among his key priorities and said education would receive particular attention.

He also pledged greater investment in job creation, poverty reduction, vocational training, healthcare and the empowerment of young people and women.

On infrastructure, Obi promised to connect all Nigerian state capitals by railway, saying improved rail transportation would facilitate the movement of people and goods and stimulate economic activity.

Kwankwaso, while addressing the gathering, highlighted the security challenges facing communities in the North-West, particularly kidnapping and banditry.

The former Kano State governor said security would be a major focus of an NDC administration.

The delegation also visited the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, who urged politicians and their supporters to maintain peace as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.

Obi’s subsidy proposal leaves several policy questions to be answered, including the structure of the proposed intervention, its projected cost, how it would be funded and the specific safeguards that would prevent the corruption he identified as a major problem with the previous system.

For now, the NDC’s position is that a future subsidy would be accompanied by stronger monitoring of the petroleum value chain, rather than simply returning to the exact arrangement that existed before the 2023 subsidy removal.

Obi Drops Bombshell, Vows to Bring Back Petrol Subsidy