The Nigeria Democratic Congress and the camp of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have backed Vice-Presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso’s fuel subsidy proposal, saying the party would pursue a different approach to reducing petrol prices if elected in 2027.
Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, sparked renewed debate over the fuel subsidy proposal after saying an administration led by Obi would bring back subsidy “in our own way”. He made the remarks during an interview with Arise TV while discussing the impact of the subsidy removal under President Bola Tinubu.
Explaining the proposal, Kwankwaso said the government could invest in refineries and increase domestic production to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products.
He argued that if private individuals could establish refineries in Nigeria, the government could also invest in additional refining capacity where necessary to meet the country’s needs.
According to him, the objective would be to ensure that Nigerians can buy petrol at a “reasonable price”, while the NDC would take measures aimed at lowering the cost of petroleum products.
The proposal represents a different framing of fuel subsidy from the system that operated before 2023, when government intervention was largely used to keep petrol prices below market-determined levels.
Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy in his inaugural address on May 29, 2023, a decision that led to a sharp increase in pump prices and higher transport and living costs.
However, Obi has previously maintained that he would also have removed the subsidy had he won the 2023 presidential election. His position was that the policy should have been implemented gradually and in an organised manner, rather than through an immediate announcement.
In a June 2026 interview, Obi said there was nothing inherently wrong with removing the subsidy, but criticised what he described as the “haphazard” manner in which it was announced and implemented. He also argued that the savings from subsidy removal should be transparently invested in productive sectors.
Kwankwaso’s recent comments therefore prompted questions over whether the NDC had changed its position.
Obi’s spokesman, Idris Zekeri, said there was no contradiction, arguing that the party was proposing a new way of making petrol more affordable while addressing corruption associated with the previous subsidy regime.
Zekeri said the NDC would work with private refineries and reform the petroleum sector to drive down prices. He maintained that the objective was to eliminate leakages and redirect resources towards improving the welfare of Nigerians.
The NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, also said the party supported the policy position agreed upon by its presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
He questioned whether Nigerians were satisfied with current petrol prices and said the NDC was prepared to implement policies aimed at easing economic pressure on citizens.
Kwankwaso had also criticised the timing and manner of the 2023 subsidy removal, arguing that the policy was implemented immediately after Tinubu assumed office without sufficient attention to its consequences.
The renewed debate comes as fuel prices and the future of petroleum-sector reforms become increasingly important issues ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
