Rabiu Kwankwaso says the Nigeria Democratic Congress is considering fuel subsidy and other measures to reduce energy costs if its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, wins the 2027 election.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) may introduce a fuel subsidy intervention to reduce petrol prices if it wins Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said.

Kwankwaso made the statement during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, October 15, saying the cost of energy in Nigeria was too high and that the party was considering measures to ease the burden on households and businesses.

“Our collective position now is that the price of energy in this country is too high, and our position is we are going to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the price of fuel in this country is taken back, including doing whatever we can, including the subsidy and so on and so forth,” he said.

The former Kano State governor said he, Obi and NDC leader Seriake Dickson had discussed the issue and reached a common position on the need to make fuel more affordable.

Kwankwaso argued that Nigerians had yet to recover from the economic effects of the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023, when President Bola Tinubu announced the policy during his inauguration.

He said the NDC was examining the implications of the decision and exploring options to reduce fuel prices, including tackling corruption and irregularities in the petroleum industry.

“We believe we could get an answer, that is removing corruption wherever it is in the oil industry,” Kwankwaso said, adding that the economic shock associated with subsidy removal continued to affect Nigerians.

However, he did not provide details of how a possible subsidy scheme would be funded, how it would be administered or what safeguards would be introduced to prevent abuse.

Beyond fuel prices, Kwankwaso said the party was preparing policy proposals aimed at improving living standards and addressing insecurity.

He argued that security challenges, particularly in northern Nigeria, could not be resolved through military action alone, but required investment in education, healthcare, agriculture, employment and economic empowerment.

Drawing on his time as Kano State governor, he said his administration combined social investment with cooperation among security agencies.

Kwankwaso said the NDC intended to publish a comprehensive security blueprint outlining its proposed approach if elected.

He also dismissed the suggestion that governors aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) necessarily reflected widespread public support for the party, arguing that voters would ultimately judge political parties by their records and ability to improve living conditions.

Kwankwaso also addressed his decision to run as Obi’s vice-presidential candidate after contesting for the presidency in previous elections.

He said political circumstances had changed and that discussions between their camps had revealed similarities in their visions for Nigeria.

“I didn’t know that he was that credible. I didn’t realise that he has that capacity to do things,” Kwankwaso said of Obi.

He added that both camps had developed a better understanding of their positions and agreed to work together, with leaders from northern and southern Nigeria joining forces to pursue their shared objectives.

The proposed ticket is seeking to present the NDC as an alternative to the current administration ahead of the 2027 election.

The prospect of restoring fuel subsidy is likely to remain a major issue in the election campaign, given the impact of higher petrol prices on transportation, food costs and household spending since the policy was removed.

Tinubu’s administration has defended the removal as necessary to address the financial burden of the subsidy, while critics argue that the resulting increase in living costs has placed severe pressure on Nigerians.

Kwankwaso’s latest remarks indicate that the NDC is prepared to consider a subsidy intervention, but the party has yet to publicly provide a detailed implementation plan in the statements reviewed.

The proposal therefore remains a campaign position rather than an implemented policy. Its likely cost, funding mechanism and potential effects on public finances have not been specified.