Northern Votes: Obi joins Atiku in subsidy debate, vows to restore petrol subsidy after tackling corruption

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, has joined the growing 2027 presidential debate over petrol subsidy, pledging to restore the policy if elected.

This cane after the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, repeatedly made a similar commitment.

Obi made the fresh commitment on Monday at a town hall meeting organised for the Obi/Kwankwaso presidential ticket in Sokoto, where he said an NDC administration would first tackle corruption before reinstating subsidy.

The declaration marks a significant development in Obi’s position on the controversial policy, which has become a major issue in the 2027 presidential contest.

Atiku, the former Vice-President and ADC presidential candidate, had in August reaffirmed that his position on subsidy had not changed and that he would restore it if elected. 

His campaign has, however, described the proposed intervention as a different model tied to domestic crude production and refining rather than a return to the former opaque import-subsidy regime.

Obi, speaking in Sokoto, linked the subsidy question to corruption, arguing that leakages in the system must first be eliminated.

“People are talking about subsidy but what is all about it is corruption. By removing the corruption, I assure you that we will bring back subsidy,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor added that corruption remained one of Nigeria’s major challenges and pledged to tackle it across all sectors if elected.

The development comes shortly after his running mate, former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, said the NDC would reintroduce subsidy “in our own way”, particularly through increased investment in domestic refineries to boost local production and make petrol available to Nigerians at a reasonable price.

Obi had also recently clarified that there was no disagreement between him and Kwankwaso over the issue, saying their concern was with how a new subsidy regime would be structured and protected from corruption.

His latest declaration in Sokoto therefore places the NDC more explicitly in the camp of presidential contenders promising some form of government intervention to reduce the impact of petrol prices on Nigerians.

Atiku's position has similarly evolved around a production-focused intervention, asHis spokesman, Paul Ibe, said in August that the proposed subsidy would be temporary and tied to crude production and domestic refining, rather than a return to the old system.

Obi, meanwhile, urged Nigerians to vote for NDC candidates at all levels in the 2027 elections, describing the task of rebuilding the country as a collective responsibility.

He said the party was committed to what he called a “politics of care and service to Nigerians.”

On his administration's priorities, Obi said resources would be deployed to improve security, education and other sectors of the economy.

“Education is our number one priority after unity and security,” he said.

He also promised to connect all state capitals by railway to facilitate economic activities and promote development.

Kwankwaso, who spoke at the meeting, said the delegation was in Sokoto to engage residents and seek their support ahead of the 2027 elections.

He said they had earlier visited the Sultan of Sokoto, who, according to him, prayed for the success of the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket and conveyed his goodwill.

Kwankwaso also highlighted the security challenges confronting the country, particularly banditry and kidnapping in the North-West.

“We are, therefore, committed to mitigating all these challenges and make Nigeria better,” he said.

Earlier, the NDC governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Dr Shamsudeen Haido, pledged to provide good governance if elected, while the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Bello Yabo, said the meeting provided an opportunity for residents to hear directly from Obi and Kwankwaso about their plans for the country.

Northern vote and subsidy politics

Obi's latest subsidy pledge comes as both he and Atiku are campaigning nationally while making proposals aimed at addressing the economic pressures associated with petrol prices. Atiku's repeated subsidy position and the NDC's recent shift towards a similar intervention have made fuel pricing an increasingly prominent issue in the 2027 contest.

The timing is also notable because Obi made the latest declaration in Sokoto, with Kwankwaso, a former Kano governor, by his side. However, the available evidence establishes that both camps are advocating forms of subsidy intervention; probably to secure Northern votes.

The emerging political contest is therefore not simply about whether subsidy should return, but also about what form it should take, how it would be funded, and how corruption and leakages would be prevented.