Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s pledge to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027, describing the proposal as impracticable and warning that it could distort Nigeria’s economy.
Sani made the remarks on Wednesday at a press conference in Abuja, where he argued that returning to the former subsidy regime would place an unsustainable burden on public finances and revive some of the abuses associated with petroleum product subsidies.
According to him, Nigeria had previously spent between N3 trillion and N4 trillion on fuel subsidies, despite being a major crude oil-producing country.
“I don’t think any candidate that is worthy of leadership should pull us back to that era,” Sani said.
He alleged that the subsidy system had been exploited by some individuals who diverted public funds under the guise of importing petroleum products, while subsidised fuel was also smuggled into neighbouring countries and sold at higher prices.
Sani questioned the economic rationale of exporting crude oil, importing refined petroleum products and subsequently using scarce foreign exchange to subsidise the imported products.
He argued that political leaders should instead prioritise the rehabilitation and expansion of domestic refineries to enable Nigeria to refine more of its crude locally.
“If any politician makes pledges of revamping our refineries so that we can be able to refine our own crude oil, then he’s making sense,” he said.
“But a politician that has been in the economic field for a very long time telling us that the way forward for us as an oil-producing country is to continue to import all petroleum products and again use our own foreign currency to subsidise it for our people to consume, for how long can we continue to do that?”
The former senator acknowledged that the removal of fuel subsidy had imposed significant economic hardship on Nigerians but maintained that restoring the former regime was not the appropriate solution.
“The return of subsidy will not bring down the prices of commodities. It will simply distort the economic stability of our country,” he said.
Instead, Sani urged the Federal Government to give ongoing economic reforms a “human face” by ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not left to bear a disproportionate share of the adjustment costs.
He also called for a reduction in the size and cost of government, arguing that political leaders, including members of the executive and legislature, should demonstrate sacrifice and reduce extravagant spending.
Sani further advocated greater investment in domestic refining, citing the Dangote Refinery as an example of the potential benefits of refining petroleum products within Nigeria.
He questioned the continued reliance on imported refined petroleum products despite the emergence of major private-sector refining capacity in the country.
The former senator said Nigeria could not achieve meaningful economic independence while continuing to export raw materials and import finished products.
Sani speaks on 2027 elections
Sani also addressed the 2027 general elections, urging political parties and candidates to focus their campaigns on policies, programmes and their capacity to deliver rather than exploit ethnic, religious or sectional sentiments.
He warned that using ethnicity and religion to attack political opponents could undermine national cohesion and threaten the country’s stability.
“At this time of our country’s life, we should assess, analyse, and elect leaders based on what they stand for and what they can deliver for us as a country,” he said.
Sani also criticised opposition politicians who seek foreign support or intervention in Nigeria’s domestic political affairs, saying political parties should seek the support of Nigerian voters rather than foreign governments or institutions.
He expressed confidence that Nigeria’s democratic institutions could deliver a transparent and credible 2027 election, noting that the country had survived several periods of political and economic turbulence.
However, he cautioned political actors against making negative predictions about Nigeria’s future in pursuit of electoral advantage, stressing that national unity and stability should take precedence over individual political ambitions.
On the presidential contest, Sani said he supported the emergence of a southern candidate in 2027, arguing that political power should continue to rotate among Nigeria’s regions as a means of promoting political balance and national cohesion.
He acknowledged that rotational presidency was not a constitutional requirement but described it as a political understanding capable of promoting stability in a diverse country.
Sani also expressed support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, while urging opposition parties to consider fielding a southern presidential candidate in the 2027 election.
He cautioned politicians against portraying elections as a matter of life and death, insisting that Nigeria’s survival and unity should not depend on the outcome of any individual election.
“The country doesn’t have to fall because you lose elections. The country doesn’t have to scatter into pieces because you lose elections,” he said.
Sani said Nigeria’s large population and ethnic and religious diversity required political leaders to manage disagreements responsibly and avoid actions capable of threatening peace, stability and national cohesion.
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