The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has pledged to restore petroleum subsidy if elected president in 2027, saying his administration would first address corruption in the system.
Obi made the declaration on Monday during a town hall meeting organised for the Obi-Kwankwaso presidential ticket in Sokoto State as political parties and candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The former Anambra State governor identified corruption as a major challenge confronting Nigeria and said an administration led by him would seek to eliminate corrupt practices across government sectors.
“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,” Obi said.
“The problem of Nigeria is corruption, as such, if elected, we will stop all forms of corruption in every sector of the country.”
His statement places the management of petrol subsidy within a broader proposal to tackle leakages and corruption before restoring government intervention in fuel pricing. Recent reports on the Sokoto meeting described the pledge as a change from Obi’s earlier position that savings from subsidy removal should instead be deployed to address citizens’ needs.
Obi’s latest position comes amid continuing national debate over the consequences of petrol subsidy removal and the appropriate approach to fuel pricing.
President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy at his inauguration on May 29, 2023. The policy has remained a major subject of economic and political debate, particularly because of its impact on transportation costs, household expenses and the prices of goods and services.
At the Sokoto meeting, Obi argued that the central issue was not simply whether government should subsidise petroleum products but how public resources allocated for such intervention would be managed.
His emphasis on corruption suggests that any subsidy arrangement under an NDC administration, according to the pledge, would be preceded by measures intended to reduce leakages and prevent the diversion of public funds.
A recent report by The Punch also quoted Obi as promising a transparent subsidy regime under which any subsidy retained by his administration would be structured to benefit Nigerians rather than provide opportunities for corruption. The report said he proposed monitoring crude oil production, transactions, imports, exports and government revenues as part of the framework. (
Beyond the fuel subsidy question, Obi used the Sokoto engagement to outline other areas he said would receive attention under an NDC administration.
He called on Nigerians to support NDC candidates across elective positions, describing national development as a collective responsibility.
The former governor said the party’s proposed approach to governance would be based on what he described as a “politics of care and service to Nigerians.”
He also expressed concern about the economic difficulties confronting citizens and promised to deploy national resources toward sectors such as security, education and infrastructure.
“Education is our number one priority after unity and security,” Obi said.
The statement placed education alongside national unity and security among the areas he identified as priorities for his proposed administration.
Obi also unveiled a railway development proposal, promising to connect state capitals across Nigeria through an integrated rail network.
According to him, the proposed railway system would facilitate commerce, improve movement between different parts of the country and support broader economic development.
The proposal forms part of his wider emphasis on infrastructure as an instrument for economic integration. Connecting state capitals by rail would require substantial investment, coordination between federal and state authorities, land acquisition and long-term infrastructure planning.
Also speaking at the Sokoto engagement, the NDC vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, said the purpose of the visit was to interact with residents and seek their support ahead of the 2027 elections. Reports from the meeting said Kwankwaso also raised concerns about insecurity in the North-West, particularly banditry and kidnapping.
The former Kano State governor said the region and other parts of Nigeria were facing significant security challenges and that the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket was committed to addressing them.
Earlier, the NDC governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Dr Shamsudeen Haido, pledged to provide good governance if elected in 2027.
The state chairman of the party, Alhaji Bello Yabo, said the town hall provided an opportunity for residents to hear directly from the presidential and vice-presidential candidates about their proposed programmes.
Obi’s subsidy pledge has added another dimension to the debate among presidential candidates over the future of Nigeria’s petroleum pricing system.
The question of subsidy has remained contentious because successive governments have had to balance the desire to reduce fuel costs for consumers against the fiscal implications of subsidising petroleum products.
Obi’s proposal, as stated at the Sokoto meeting, is conditional: corruption must first be tackled before subsidy is restored.
The statement also places transparency and management of public resources at the centre of the debate. Rather than presenting subsidy as an isolated policy, Obi linked it to broader questions concerning accountability, government expenditure and the management of the petroleum sector.
His pledge is therefore likely to remain part of the economic policy debate as the 2027 election campaign develops and political parties present competing approaches to fuel pricing, public spending, infrastructure, education and security.
For the NDC candidate, however, the immediate message from Sokoto was that an administration under his leadership would prioritise the fight against corruption before considering the restoration of petroleum subsidy.
The proposal, like other campaign commitments ahead of the 2027 election, remains a policy pledge subject to the outcome of the election and the legislative, fiscal and administrative processes required for implementation.
