Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, has announced that the party is prepared to restore the fuel subsidy if it wins power, describing the move as one of several options on the table to bring down petrol prices.
Kwankwaso made the remarks on Channels Television's Politics Today programme on Thursday, saying he, presidential candidate Peter Obi, and party leader Senator Seriake Dickson had reached a common position on the issue after a series of internal discussions.
NDC Ticket Aligns on Fuel Subsidy
The former Kano State governor said the party's stance was driven by the severe economic pressure that Nigerians have faced since petrol subsidies were scrapped. He argued that corruption within the oil sector remained a central part of the problem and that addressing it could open the door to meaningful relief for consumers.
Kwankwaso and Obi had previously held differing views on the subject. Obi once backed the removal of the fuel subsidy but later shifted ground, promising to reinstate it under a corruption-free arrangement. Kwankwaso, on his part, had long pushed for the subsidy to return in a reformed structure that would push prices down.
President Bola Tinubu formally ended the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, during his inauguration speech, declaring that "subsidy is gone." The decision led to a steep rise in fuel costs, which fed into higher prices for goods and transport across the country.
What the NDC Is Promising
Kwankwaso said the NDC had not ruled out any option that could ease the cost of living for ordinary Nigerians, calling the party's planned package of interventions the "mother of all subsidies." He added that the party would do everything within its power to improve living conditions if given the opportunity to govern.
Peter Obi was ratified as the NDC's presidential candidate on May 29, 2026, after leaving the African Democratic Congress earlier that month.
