In a remarkable change of position, Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said he will restore petroleum subsidy after tackling corruption in the country if elected President of Nigeria in January 2027.
NAN reports that Obi spoke at a town hall organised for the Obi/Kwankwaso presidential ticket on Monday in Sokoto.
Recall that former Anambra State governor, had, in August, reiterated his support for the removal of the petrol subsidy.
He was at the time speaking at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) 2026 conference in Port Harcourt, where he said the mismanagement of the gains from the removal by the current administration was not enough reason to bring back the subsidy
“I subscribe and maintain that you need to remove subsidy. Mismanagement of the proceeds shouldn’t be the reason for not removing it,” the former governor of Anambra said.
But yesterday at the Sokoto gathering, Obi stated that corruption, rather than subsidy, remained the major problem bedeviling Nigeria.
“People are talking about subsidy, but what is all about it is corruption. By removing the corruption, I assure you that we will bring back subsidy,” he said.
“The problem of Nigeria is corruption; as such, if elected, we will stop all forms of corruption in every sector of the country.”
Obi appealed to Nigerians to make use of the 2027 general election to vote for candidates of the NDC at all levels, noting that it is a collective responsibility to address the country’s recurring challenges.
“Education is our number one priority after unity and security,” Obi said.
Peter Obi made a promise to connect all state capitals with railway lines to facilitate economic activities and boost development.
In his remarks, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, NDC vice-presidential candidate, stated that the visit was to meet with the people of Sokoto and seek their support and cooperation ahead of the 2027 general elections
He said although various parts of Nigeria are facing problems, the north-west had become a major hotspot for banditry and kidnapping.
“We are, therefore, committed to mitigating all these challenges and make Nigeria better,” he said.
