The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) could bring back the petrol subsidy if it wins the 2027 presidential election.
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the party’s vice-presidential candidate, made this known on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today .
Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, said Nigerians are still feeling the pain of the subsidy removal announced by President Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023 .
“We have seen the implication of removing the subsidy from day one in the country till today. Up till now, I think nobody has recovered from that shock of removing the subsidy on that day,” he said .
The Economic Shock And Party Plans
The 2023 subsidy removal led to a sharp rise in petrol prices and higher transportation costs across Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show the average petrol price jumped from ₦238 per litre in May 2023 to over ₦1,500 by mid-2026 .
Kwankwaso argued that the government has not done enough to ease the hardship caused by the policy.
He also said fighting corruption in the oil sector should be part of any effort to lower energy costs .
The NDC vice-presidential candidate explained that the party considered Nigeria’s economic problems and the records of its leaders, including presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson .
“Our collective position now is that the price of energy in this country is too high,” Kwankwaso said .
“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” .
Obi’s Stance And Other Candidates
Kwankwaso’s comments follow a similar promise from Peter Obi, the NDC presidential candidate.
In September, Obi said he would restore the petrol subsidy if elected, but only after tackling corruption first .
Obi made the remarks at the Nigerian Bar Association’s 2026 conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State .
He argued that the alleged mismanagement of savings from the subsidy removal was not, by itself, enough reason to keep the policy out .
Other presidential hopefuls have also criticised the subsidy removal.
Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) said earlier this month he would push petrol prices down to about ₦300 per litre if elected in 2027 .
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, also pledged in August to restore the subsidy if he wins .
INEC Petition And Candidate Dispute
Meanwhile, hundreds of Kwankwasiyya Movement supporters stormed the Kano State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday.
They protested the exclusion of the NDC governorship candidate from the commission’s list of candidates.
The protesters, led by deputy governorship candidate Mustapha Kwankwaso, submitted a formal petition on behalf of Comrade Aminu Gwarzo .
The movement demanded the reinstatement of its governorship candidate.
It also accused an INEC official of allegedly working with unauthorised persons to substitute some of its candidates.
At the commission’s Kano office, Resident Electoral Commissioner Abdu Zango acknowledged the complaint.
He assured the protesters the petition would be sent to INEC’s national headquarters for review.
Zango explained that INEC had already given reasons for the omission of some candidates and opened a window for appeals until October 24, 2026 .
“We received all the complaints and assured the delegation that their petition will receive the necessary attention and we are going to forward it to our national headquarters for consideration,” Zango said .
He also commended the protesters for presenting their grievances peacefully.
“I also commended them because that is the most orderly way of presenting such complaints rather than resorting to violence,” he stated .
Dr Habib Mohammed, spokesperson of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, told journalists the protest was also about alleged irregularities involving an electoral commission official.
“We are also petitioning against a staff here, whom we believe colluded with some unauthorized people to hide a decision which led to substitution of some of our candidates,” he said.
Mohammed alleged that multiple letters with suspected forged signatures had been sent to INEC, leading to the replacement of some candidates.
He called on the commission to investigate the allegations and warned that the movement would consider further action if its concerns were not addressed .
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