The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has said it will consider restoring fuel subsidy and other measures to reduce petrol prices if it wins the 2027 presidential election.
The party’s vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, disclosed this on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Kwankwaso said he, the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and its leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, had agreed on the need to address the high cost of energy and ease the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
He said the party was prepared to explore all available options, including fuel subsidy, to make petrol more affordable.
“Our collective position now is that the price of energy in this country is too high, and 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,” Kwankwaso said.
The former Kano State governor argued that Nigerians had yet to recover from the economic impact of the removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu in May 2023.
He said addressing corruption in the petroleum industry would be necessary to tackle the challenges associated with fuel pricing.
“We have seen the implication of removing the subsidy from day one in this country. Up till now, I think nobody has recovered from that shock,” he said.
Kwankwaso added that the NDC had held several discussions on the issue and was working towards policies that would improve living conditions and reduce the burden of high energy costs.
Obi had previously expressed support for restoring fuel subsidy under a system that addresses corruption and mismanagement.
The debate over fuel subsidy remains a major issue ahead of the 2027 general election, as opposition parties continue to criticise the Tinubu administration over the rising cost of living.
