Kwankwaso Says Tinubu's Fuel Subsidy Removal Was Economic Error

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential running mate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's decision to remove fuel subsidies constituted a policy mistake that deepened Nigeria's economic crisis. Speaking on Arise Television this week, the former Kano State governor argued that the Tinubu administration's approach lacked strategic preparation to shield ordinary Nigerians from the resulting hardship.

Kwankwaso's core criticism centres on the manner and timing of the subsidy removal rather than the concept itself. He contended that Tinubu implemented the policy change immediately upon taking office in May 2023 without establishing safeguard mechanisms to ease the transition.

According to Kwankwaso, this abrupt action ignored foreseeable economic consequences and precipitated the current cost-of-living pressures facing Nigerian households. The NDC candidate has pledged that his party would reintroduce subsidy support in a restructured format should it win the 2027 general election.

Kwankwaso framed affordable fuel access as a right that Nigerians should retain, positioning the NDC's approach as a counter-narrative to the Tinubu administration's market-oriented energy policy. He positioned the issue as central to addressing the broader economic strain on citizens.

Kwankwaso's remarks represent a significant political positioning ahead of the 2027 election cycle, as fuel subsidies remain a contentious subject in Nigerian public discourse. The subsidy removal, initially announced by Tinubu during his inaugural speech, has been linked to increased transportation costs, food price inflation, and broader macroeconomic challenges throughout 2023 and beyond.

The NDC's proposed alternative represents one of several competing visions for Nigeria's energy and fiscal policy that opposition parties are developing for the next electoral contest.