The Peter Obi presidential campaign council has defended the candidate’s decision to restore petrol subsidy if elected in 2027. The NDC candidate made the statement in a BBC interview on Tuesday, 6 October. The campaign said Obi’s position has not changed. It said he has always linked subsidy removal to the fight against corruption.
Obi has been inconsistent on fuel subsidy. In August 2026, he maintained that fuel subsidy should be removed. He argued that the mismanagement of funds saved from its removal should not be used as a reason to bring the policy back. At the Nigeria Bar Association conference in Port Harcourt in September 2026, he said the mismanagement of the gains from removal was not enough reason to restore the subsidy. But at a Sokoto gathering on 28 September, he pledged a conditional return: “By removing the corruption, I assure you that we will bring back subsidy”. His running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, said two weeks earlier that an Obi administration would reintroduce fuel subsidies in a reformed structure.
In the BBC interview, Obi said he would restore the subsidy but first eliminate the corruption associated with it. “I’ll remove the corruption and retain the subsidy,” he said. The campaign council said the policy has always been to tackle corruption in the subsidy regime. It said Obi’s critics are misrepresenting his position. The council also said Obi would lead the anti-corruption fight from the top. “The conduct of the president and members of his immediate family would be central to his anti-corruption strategy,” a campaign statement said.
The U-turn is politically significant. The 2027 election is approaching. Fuel prices are a top voter concern. Two-thirds of Nigerians want some form of government fuel support restored, according to SBM Intelligence polling. Obi is positioning himself to capture that sentiment.
Winners: Obi, who gains a clear policy position. The NDC, which gains a campaign issue. Voters who want subsidy restored. The campaign council, which defends the candidate. Losers: Critics who see the U-turn as inconsistency. The APC, which faces a new line of attack. Fiscal hawks, who oppose subsidy. Taxpayers, if subsidy returns. Obi, if the U-turn is seen as opportunism.
Bottom Line: Obi says he will restore subsidy and fight corruption. His campaign says that has always been the position. The record suggests otherwise. The 2027 election will decide whether voters care about consistency or relief.