Former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy, describing the policy as a mistake that has left Nigeria in what he called a “total mess” economically.
Kwankwaso made the remarks in an exclusive interview with ARISE News correspondent Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, as debate over the future of fuel pricing continues to feature prominently ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Kwankwaso, Tinubu’s decision to remove the subsidy on his first day in office had significant economic consequences for Nigerians.
He said an NDC administration would reverse the policy, although not by simply returning to the previous subsidy arrangement.
“We will bring back subsidy in our own way,” Kwankwaso said, indicating that the party would pursue an alternative mechanism aimed at reducing the price of petrol.
He said the NDC would do “whatever it takes” to bring down fuel prices, making the cost of petrol a central part of the party’s economic proposition ahead of the 2027 election.
Kwankwaso’s position represents a significant policy statement from the opposition coalition, particularly because fuel subsidy removal has remained one of the most contentious aspects of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms.
Tinubu announced the removal of the subsidy in May 2023 during his inauguration speech, ending the long-standing system under which government absorbed part of the cost of petrol to keep pump prices lower.
The policy subsequently led to a sharp increase in petrol prices and has remained a major issue in discussions about inflation, household expenses and the wider cost of living.
The former Kano governor did not, in the statement provided, give detailed figures on the proposed arrangement or explain precisely how the new subsidy mechanism would be financed.
