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Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi promised to restore the petrol subsidy if elected in 2027, reversing his previous 2023 campaign stance that favoured total removal.
Speaking during a BBC interview on Tuesday, Obi argued that systemic corruption—rather than the policy itself—ruined the scheme, following similar remarks by his running mate, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso.
He pledged to eliminate fraudulent practices from the programme while retaining price support for citizens.
“From day one, I’ve talked about subsidy,” Obi stated. “I’ll remove the corruption and retain the subsidy.”
He explained that his anti-graft strategy would rely heavily on executive leadership and personal example, claiming, “If you are not stealing, if you are not involved, your wife and family are not involved, you reduce it by 50 per cent.”
Addressing opposition strategy and his past comparison to former President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption platform, Obi dismissed calls to step down for a consensus candidate, stating, “We don’t need to step down. We need to do the right thing.”
When questioned about Buhari’s record, Obi emphasised his own hands-on leadership style, declaring, “He was not in charge. The difference is that I’ll be in charge.”
