What I will do with petrol subsidy if elected in 2027 – Presidential aspirant

Faduri Oluwadamilare Joseph, a presidential aspirant of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), has said he would be taking a different approach on fuel subsidy policy if elected president in 2027.

Joseph, who declared this while briefing journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on his ambition to contest presidential elections next year, criticised the removal of petrol subsidy, describing the decision as ill-conceived and lacking adequate planning.

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu, during his inaugural address on May 29, 2023, announced the removal of petrol subsidy, a move that triggered a sharp increase in the pump price of petrol nationwide.

Faduri argued that the policy was implemented without sufficient foresight, leading to widespread hardship among Nigerians.

According to him, the absence of necessary proactive measures has compounded the negative impact of the decision.

The NRM aspirant, a state-certified healthcare professional in the United States, maintained that the subsidy removal has largely benefited the wealthy, while worsening the plight of the poor.

“I will restore petrol subsidy if elected president because it was originally designed to cushion the effects of economic hardship on the masses. The manner in which it was removed has only favoured the rich,” he said.

Faduri further noted that the policy has merely increased the financial resources available to state governments without corresponding relief for citizens.

He vowed to change the narrative and assured that any future consideration of subsidy removal under his administration would be carefully planned and implemented only after addressing critical challenges in the nation’s power sector, which he said would reduce reliance on petrol consumption.

The 49-year-old aspirant also lamented what he described as misplaced national priorities, noting that while other countries are investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Nigeria has been reduced to a “rice-dependent economy,” where food distribution is used as a response to economic hardship.

He criticised older political actors, accusing them of lacking fresh ideas, and called on Nigerians to support the emergence of younger leadership.

“We need a young leader. Someone produced by the people, not imposed by political godfathers,” he added.

Faduri described the 2027 presidential election as a crucial opportunity for Nigerians to decide between meaningful change and the continuation of what he termed a “hopeless situation.”

He also pledged to review and reverse policies of the current administration that, according to him, have made life difficult for citizens since 2023.

On concerns about his lack of a conventional political structure, the aspirant insisted that the Nigerian people constitute the real structure, expressing confidence that citizens are ready to support credible leadership regardless of financial strength.

“Hunger does not recognise political structure, and poverty does not depend on political structure. Those who claim to have structures are only deceiving the people. A governor has just one vote. Nigerians will ultimately decide who leads them,” he explained.