Former Kano State Governor and National Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy, saying the policy plunged Nigeria into what he described as a “total mess economically.”
Kwankwaso, who is the running mate to the NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general elections, said an NDC administration would restore fuel subsidy in a different form and take measures to reduce the price of petrol for Nigerians.
He made the remarks in an interview with ARISE correspondent Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie while discussing the economic consequences of the Tinubu administration’s policies and the NDC’s proposed alternative ahead of the 2027 elections. 
The removal of the petrol subsidy, announced by President Tinubu in his inaugural address on May 29, 2023, has remained one of the most consequential and controversial economic policies of his administration, with its effects continuing to dominate political and economic debates in the country.
Kwankwaso said that during the 2023 presidential campaign, the three leading presidential candidates, Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, had all spoken about removing the subsidy, although he recalled that Atiku had also proposed selling the country’s four refineries.
“In 2023, during the campaigns, I remember the three of them, all of them said they will remove subsidy. In fact, before then, Atiku even added that he would sell all the four refineries to his friends,” Kwankwaso said.
He, however, singled out Tinubu for implementing the policy immediately after assuming office, arguing that the administration failed to adequately consider the possible consequences before removing the subsidy.
“Of course, among the three of them, Bola Tinubu decided to do or to remove the subsidy. And the consequences that we thought would happen certainly happened,” he said.
“And not only he decided to remove the subsidy, what he did was to remove it immediately. In fact, day one, without looking at all those possible issues that were associated to that.
“And that’s how we find ourselves in this total mess economically.”
According to Kwankwaso, the consequences of the policy have demonstrated that the decision was a mistake, although he said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s position on the issue during the campaign was politically motivated.
“Now, everybody realizes that it was a mistake,” he said.
“But you see, what Wazir Adamawa did was just to play politics. I don’t think he meant what he said.”
Kwankwaso also criticised Atiku for failing to explain how he intended to implement his proposed subsidy policy, arguing that political considerations influenced the positions taken by the candidates during the 2023 campaign.
“That is one. And secondly, really, he didn’t tell anybody how he’s going to do it,” he said.
“But he knew people now are desperate. If you just go out there and say, I’ll remove it. Even when you said many times that you would not remove it.
“Now we have seen the consequences or they saw the consequences. They didn’t see it before. I saw it.”
Asked whether it would be difficult for him to campaign in the Northwest, where many Nigerians have continued to demand the return of fuel subsidy, while explaining that the NDC would not simply restore the subsidy in its previous form, Kwankwaso rejected the suggestion.
“No, no, no. Look, we are bringing subsidy in our own way,” he said.
The former Kano governor explained that the government could reduce the cost of petrol by supporting the expansion of domestic refining capacity, including through the construction of government-owned refineries.
He pointed to the emergence of privately built refineries as evidence that more refining capacity could be developed within Nigeria.
“Of course, there are many ways. One, I can tell you now we have a refinery built by businessman. And I’m sure more refineries would be built,” Kwankwaso said.
“Now, if individuals in this country could build refineries, I see no reason why government under certain circumstances will not build a refinery or refineries to the extent that we achieve the minimum requirement.”
He said the ultimate objective of the NDC would be to ensure that Nigerians could purchase petrol at what he described as a reasonable price.
“What is the minimum requirement? The minimum requirement is for the people across the country to go to the filling stations and buy fuel at a reasonable price,” he said.
“We in the NDC will do whatever it takes really to put the price of oil down.”
