Rabiu Kwankwaso says the NDC may restore petrol subsidy if it wins the 2027 election, promising measures to reduce fuel prices and ease hardship
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) will consider restoring petrol subsidy if it wins the 2027 general election, the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said.
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Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, made the disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.
He criticised the economic impact of President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove petrol subsidy shortly after he assumed office in May 2023.
The policy triggered a sharp increase in petrol prices, transportation costs and the prices of essential goods, adding to the cost-of-living pressures faced by Nigerians.
Kwankwaso said the consequences of the subsidy removal had continued to affect households, arguing that many Nigerians had yet to recover from the initial shock.
“We have seen the implication of removing the subsidy from day one in the country till today. Up till now, I think nobody has recovered from that shock of removing the subsidy on that day,” he said.
The former Kano governor said the NDC had been considering different approaches to address the country’s economic challenges.
He pointed to the governing experience of some of the party’s leading figures, including its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who served as governor of Anambra State, as well as his own tenure in Kano.
Kwankwaso also mentioned former Bayelsa State governor Seriake Dickson as part of the party’s wider discussions on possible solutions to Nigeria’s economic difficulties.
According to him, lowering energy costs would be a major priority for the NDC if it gains power in 2027.
“Our collective position now is that the price of energy in this country is too high,” he said.
Kwankwaso stressed that the party would be prepared to adopt whatever measures it considers necessary to make petrol more affordable, including a possible return to subsidy payments.
“Our position is we are going to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the price of fuel in this country is taken back, including doing whatever we can, including the subsidy,” he said.
The NDC chieftain said the proposed measures would be aimed at easing the economic burden on Nigerians and improving living conditions.
His comments suggest that the party could seek to reverse or modify some aspects of the current fuel pricing policy if elected in 2027.
Also read: APC Unveils 12 States for Tinubu’s 2027 Rallies
The debate over petrol subsidy remains a major economic and political issue in Nigeria, particularly as households and businesses continue to grapple with elevated energy and transportation costs.
