Obi Makes U-turn, says He’ll Restore Petrol Subsidy after Curbing Corruption

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), says his administration will restore petroleum subsidy after tackling corruption in the country.

NAN reports that Obi spoke on Monday at a town hall organised for the Obi/Kwankwaso presidential ticket in Sokoto.

The former governor of Anambra had, in August, reiterated his support for the removal of the petrol subsidy.

Speaking at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) 2026 conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital, Obi had said the mismanagement of the gains from the removal by the current administration was not enough reason to bring back the subsidy.

“I subscribe and maintain that you need to remove subsidy. Mismanagement of the proceeds shouldn’t be the reason for not removing it,” the former governor of Anambra said.

‘PROBLEM OF NIGERIA IS CORRUPTION’

However, at the Sokoto gathering, Obi said corruption, rather than subsidy, remained the major challenge confronting Nigeria.

“People are talking about subsidy, but what is all about it is corruption. By removing the corruption, I assure you that we will bring back subsidy,” he said.

“The problem of Nigeria is corruption; as such, if elected, we will stop all forms of corruption in every sector of the country.”

Obi urged Nigerians to use the 2027 general election to vote for NDC candidates at all levels, saying it is a collective responsibility to address the country’s recurring challenges.

The former governor of Anambra said the party is committed to providing what he described as a “politics of care and service to Nigerians.”

He also expressed concerns over the economic situation of Nigerians, promising to deploy the country’s resources to improve security, education and other sectors of the economy.

“Education is our number one priority after unity and security,” Obi said.

Obi promised to connect all state capitals with railway lines to facilitate economic activities and boost development.

Also speaking, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, NDC vice-presidential candidate, said the visit was to meet with the people of Sokoto and seek their support and cooperation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano, said they had earlier visited Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, who prayed for the success of the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket and conveyed his goodwill.

He said although various parts of Nigeria are facing challenges, the north-west had become a major hotspot for banditry and kidnapping.

“We are, therefore, committed to mitigating all these challenges and make Nigeria better,” he said.

The development comes as debate continues over the impact of the current administration’s petrol subsidy removal.

Last Thursday, Kwankwaso had said NDC would reintroduce fuel subsidy in a different form if elected in 2027.

Speaking during an interview with Arise News, the former governor of Kano said the party would adopt a different approach to subsidy, including expanding domestic refining capacity.

“We are bringing subsidy in our own way,” he had said.

“There are many ways. One, I can tell you now, we have a refinery built by a businessman. And I’m sure more refineries would be built.”

His remark followed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore petrol subsidy if elected president.

Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Party (ADC), argued that the Bola Tinubu administration had failed to account for the funds saved from the removal of the petrol subsidy.

However, Tinubu faulted the argument, saying Atiku’s proposal showed “serious ignorance of governance and economy” and noting that before he assumed office, some states struggled to pay salaries and pensions.