2027: Peter Obi Rejects Atiku’s Fuel Subsidy Plan, Reveals His Alternative

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has rejected the proposal by his African Democratic Congress (ADC) counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027.

Speaking on Monday at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Obi maintained that the removal of fuel subsidy was necessary but argued that the policy had been poorly implemented by the current administration.

According to Obi, the alleged mismanagement of funds saved from subsidy removal should not be used as a justification for reversing the policy.

The former Anambra State governor argued that the government should have introduced measures to cushion the impact of subsidy removal on Nigerians while directing the resulting savings towards productive sectors of the economy.

Obi also criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu for failing to provide adequate alternatives to ease the financial burden created by the removal of the subsidy.

He maintained that the major problem was not the decision to remove the subsidy but the manner in which the funds generated from the policy were subsequently managed.

The NDC candidate further claimed that resources saved through subsidy removal had not been properly accounted for, insisting that the money should have been channelled into areas capable of improving Nigerians’ living standards and strengthening the economy.

Obi said his approach to subsidy removal had been outlined in his manifesto ahead of the 2023 presidential election, where he proposed a gradual and organised process.

He explained that under his proposed framework, the savings generated from the policy would be transparently recovered and invested in productive sectors for the benefit of citizens.

The former governor’s position puts him at odds with Atiku, who has advocated a return to fuel subsidy as part of his proposed measures to address the economic hardship facing Nigerians.

The contrasting positions of the two opposition figures are expected to fuel further debate over the future of Nigeria’s petroleum pricing policy ahead of the 2027 presidential election.