The Vice Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said a government led by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would reintroduce fuel subsidy through a different approach.Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, made the statement during an interview with Arise TV while discussing fuel pricing and the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He said the NDC would take measures to reduce the cost of petrol for Nigerians, including increasing investment in domestic refining.
“No, no, no, look. We are bringing subsidy in our own way,” Kwankwaso said when asked whether the party’s position on subsidy could affect its campaign in the North-West.
He explained that the government could establish more refineries to increase local production and reduce the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
According to him, expanding domestic refining capacity would help Nigerians access petrol at what he described as a reasonable price.
“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.
Kwankwaso added that the NDC would prioritise policies aimed at reducing fuel prices.
“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.”
The NDC chieftain also criticised President Tinubu’s decision to remove petrol subsidy shortly after assuming office in 2023.
He noted that the major presidential candidates in the 2023 election had supported subsidy removal but faulted Tinubu for implementing the policy immediately without adequately addressing its potential consequences.
“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 with that,” Kwankwaso said.
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