₦airaland Forum

piriton:
There is no sense in removal of subsidy and then turn back to dash people the money, why not do what will benefit everyone. We want subsidy back in electricity, fuel, education and agriculture.

subsidy is like a virus that kills slowly, especially Nigeria fantastically corrupt nature.... Infact I want tinubu to pass a bill to the Senate to totally remove it from any ediot that will seat in that throne as president.

Atiku is on fire on SM.
People are jumping off NDC boat in in droves.

They're shouting "I'm voting subsidy"

"My candidate is subsidy"

Atiku has successfully leveraged a protest vote in his favour.

So why are your b*ngos ranting about the subsidy removal?

We were BORROWING money to pay subsidy

Why is any reasonable person asking for the savings?

100% of our revenue went to debt service before now.

Today it's down to 60%.

Shouldn't that count for something

Honestly, the president's media handlers are dolads.

Let them come and hire me.

Dotherightthing:
We were BORROWING money to pay subsidy

Why is any reasonable person asking for the savings?

100% of our revenue went to debt service before now.

Today it's down to 60%.

Shouldn't that count for something

Honestly, the president's media handlers are dolads.

Let them come and hire me.

Exactly the point.

So Why has current borrowing exceeded and broken all past records ?

AMINDA:
In politics, there is what is known as strategic silence. Clearly, Peter Obi is being used by Obasanjo who's only life mission is to see that Atiku does not become president. He has effectively weared himself thin and talked himself out of the 2027 conversation and will further bleed supporters as a result of this. He may still enjoy the euphoria from people screaming "Obi, Obi" every now and then, but winning a presidential election goes beyond that. You have to be disruptive and come up with policy positions that differ from the status quo. Otherwise, why are you opposing? If Tinubu is a Southerner and Obi left a unified coalition because it's the "turn of the South" and still wants to sustain fuel subsidy removal just like Tinubu, why then does he want to unseat Tinubu instead of stepping down and fully backing his re-election? Not as many people will troop out again to vote for him enmass like they did in 2027 if they see that he genuinely does not stand a chance. The 2027 election will be won by the candidate who is able to build the most momentum.

Wake up bro and smell the coffee. 1st, 2027 election is between Obi and Tinubu. There's a reason why Atiku is a serial contester. He lacks strategy and he's too desperate. You condemned subsidy in 2023 as fraud, only to make U-turn in 2027 because of northern votes that will be divided regardless. They are calling him to come and defend his statement on subsidy, he his now running away by sending proxies. You think Nigerians are stupid? Check out how Obi shut down NBA conference yesterday. The love is massive!

Kukutente23:
I really feel for Obi here
He was caught between a rock and a hard place.
If he backed Atiku's proposal, he will be seen as lacking originality and also lose his fellow billionaire friends who are the prime beneficiaries of naira devaluation which they've all applauded.

He had no choice but to play safe but I think he did it very weakly. Since Atiku raised that counterpunch, I expected Obi to have come from the angle of accountability. That's the lowest hanging fruit.

Whether subsidy is removed or reintroduced, the fundamental thing is accountability. If subsidy is removed, where's the benefit of the removal? If subsidy is introduced. How do we ensure its not corrupted and mismanaged?

In fact, I expected him to have raised a team of forensic analysts who would have shown how this govt has mismanaged the subsidy removal aftermath. Because that's why they are sending you to the govs. They can't account for the proceeds of subsidy removal on their own.

Obi seems unimaginative to me. He just goes with the flow and hopes the saintly and meek persona he's posturing (which makes him look like he's just catching cruise) will endear him to Nigerians as it did for Buhari. Unfortunately, he's dealing with a propaganda machine that can find dirt and magnify it even when none exists.

I think Obi doesn't have the stomach and the grit for 2027. That's my honest assessment. He should just collapse his campaign because in the end, He is being used as a canon to distract the opposition by the APC in my view.

At bolded,is that not what obi meant when he talked about mismanagement of subsidy savings? Or is that not accountability?

You guys should learn to read and understand…and just just for the purpose of having an attacking opinion.

epainos:
He makes sense, but still I know he isnt the person to lead Naija. He is only pretending.

Peter Obi is so funny. He wants to invest proceeds from subsidy in our health care system because according to him, it is the most important sector decaying presently. Yet, under the same Obi's watch as a governor of Anambra, doctors went on strike for more than 1 year. Sowore pointed it out. Lol.

No be juju be that? Man wey no send health, suddently send am cos he wan talk his way to Aso Rock.

The guy doesnt even get sense.He only bambooze his followers with a very pedestrial arguements.He talks as if money saved from fuel susbidy belongs to just the president.Statutarily,whether any president likes it or not,it belongs to the federation which includes the FG,SG and LG.He cant unilaterally determine how it will be spent.It is constitutionally sanctioned.The PHCs he evn talked about is under the purview of the LGs not the FGs.

Kukutente23:
I really feel for Obi here
He was caught between a rock and a hard place.
If he backed Atiku's proposal, he will be seen as lacking originality and also lose his fellow billionaire friends who are the prime beneficiaries of naira devaluation which they've all applauded.

He had no choice but to play safe but I think he did it very weakly. Since Atiku raised that counterpunch, I expected Obi to have come from the angle of accountability. That's the lowest hanging fruit.

Whether subsidy is removed or reintroduced, the fundamental thing is accountability. If subsidy is removed, where's the benefit of the removal? If subsidy is introduced. How do we ensure its not corrupted and mismanaged?

In fact, I expected him to have raised a team of forensic analysts who would have shown how this govt has mismanaged the subsidy removal aftermath. Because that's why they are sending you to the govs. They can't account for the proceeds of subsidy removal on their own.

Obi seems unimaginative to me. He just goes with the flow and hopes the saintly and meek persona he's posturing (which makes him look like he's just catching cruise) will endear him to Nigerians as it did for Buhari. Unfortunately, he's dealing with a propaganda machine that can find dirt and magnify it even when none exists.

I think Obi doesn't have the stomach and the grit for 2027. That's my honest assessment. He should just collapse his campaign because in the end, He is being used as a canon to distract the opposition by the APC in my view.

You failed to critique what Obi actually said concerning subsidy removal. You only expressed your personal dislike for him.

And that is because you reacted based on the headline alone. Please go back and read the full story.

Seeplusplus:
This werey na clout chaser normally .

Take away emotions and sentiments aside and properly listen to this clown.

You'll see fear, incompetence, confusion, inexperience, shallow mindedness in every of his utterances.


For me, anybody but Obi

The guy doesnt even get sense.He only bambooze his follower with a very pedestrial arguements.He talks as if money saved from fuel susbidy belongs to just the president.Statutarily,whether any president likes it or not,it belongs to the federation which include the FG,SG and LG.He cant unilaterally determine how it will be spent.It is constitutionally sanctioned.The PHCs he evn talked about is under the purview of the LGs not the FGs.

NaijaNaWaa:
Brilliant take on fuel subsidy by Peter Obi. The separation of subsidy removal from the subsequent mismanagement of the gains is pure genius.

Atiku goofed irreversibly.

Mismanagement by who?
How??

helinues:
He had no choice than to reverse after the backlash. He initially backed Atiku.

I still commented on thread about it yesterday

The opposition are really struggling on what to use as campaign against this government

Meanwhile, the Obidients are currently confused about this

https://www.nairaland.com/8735093/current-confusion-obidients-camp

The issue is both method would have worked well without corription

AMINDA:
In politics, there is what is known as strategic silence. Clearly, Peter Obi is being used by Obasanjo who's only life mission is to see that Atiku does not become president. He has effectively weared himself thin and talked himself out of the 2027 conversation and will further bleed supporters as a result of this. He may still enjoy the euphoria from people screaming "Obi, Obi" every now and then, but winning a presidential election goes beyond that. You have to be disruptive and come up with policy positions that differ from the status quo. Otherwise, why are you opposing? If Tinubu is a Southerner and Obi left a unified coalition because it's the "turn of the South" and still wants to sustain fuel subsidy removal just like Tinubu, why then does he want to unseat Tinubu instead of stepping down and fully backing his re-election? Not as many people will troop out again to vote for him enmass like they did in 2027 if they see that he genuinely does not stand a chance. The 2027 election will be won by the candidate who is able to build the most momentum.

Much as we may belong to opposing political camps, I would encourage you to move beyond the familiar, pedestrian rhetoric that has become characteristic of Nigerian politics.

Leaving a coalition perceived to be designed to coronate Atiku is neither a crime nor a betrayal. Peter Obi is an accomplished politician in his own right, and he is entitled to advance his own ideas about how Nigeria’s economic and political challenges should be addressed. Why should he be expected to automatically agree with Atiku Abubakar, who is equally entitled to his own views and ambitions?

The reality is that both men are political equals, but Mr. Obi’s political fortunes have risen considerably since the last election. His 2023 performance transformed him into a formidable national political force, and today he is arguably the strongest and most credible opposition choice to challenge and defeat Bola Tinubu.

An Obi–Atiku alliance, therefore, makes eminent strategic sense. Combining their strengths could give the opposition the breadth and political machinery necessary to mount a serious challenge in 2027. But such an alliance must be built on equality and mutual respect, not on the assumption that Peter Obi must subordinate his presidential ambition to Atiku.

No one is using anyone. Peter Obi is not subordinate to Atiku Abubakar. They shared a presidential ticket in 2019, but that does not create a permanent political hierarchy between them.

Mr. Obi has a legitimate desire to offer himself for service to Nigeria, and he should not be expected to sacrifice that aspiration merely to make a coalition convenient for others.

The goal should be to unite, not to subordinate; to build a winning coalition, not to coronate one individual. And if the question is who represents the most credible challenge to Bola Tinubu today, Peter Obi remains very much at the center of that conversation.

Basic123:
Mismanagement by who?
How??

By me! Shey u don happy now?

Reloadedisraelp:
Na obi I go still vote for ...una go cry tired..😂😂 ....used that knowledge wey u get pass obi take change ur life first..😂😂

Vote that will not make him the president

ottersberger:
Much as we may belong to opposing political camps, I would encourage you to move beyond the familiar, pedestrian rhetoric that has become characteristic of Nigerian politics.

Leaving a coalition perceived to be designed to coronate Atiku is neither a crime nor a betrayal. Peter Obi is an accomplished politician in his own right, and he is entitled to advance his own ideas about how Nigeria’s economic and political challenges should be addressed. Why should he be expected to automatically agree with Atiku Abubakar, who is equally entitled to his own views and ambitions?

The reality is that both men are political equals, but Mr. Obi’s political fortunes have risen considerably since the last election. His 2023 performance transformed him into a formidable national political force, and today he is arguably the strongest and most credible opposition choice to challenge and defeat Bola Tinubu.

An Obi–Atiku alliance, therefore, makes eminent strategic sense. Combining their strengths could give the opposition the breadth and political machinery necessary to mount a serious challenge in 2027. But such an alliance must be built on equality and mutual respect, not on the assumption that Peter Obi must subordinate his presidential ambition to Atiku.

No one is using anyone. Peter Obi is not subordinate to Atiku Abubakar. They shared a presidential ticket in 2019, but that does not create a permanent political hierarchy between them.

Mr. Obi has a legitimate desire to offer himself for service to Nigeria, and he should not be expected to sacrifice that aspiration merely to make a coalition convenient for others.

The goal should be to unite, not to subordinate; to build a winning coalition, not to coronate one individual. And if the question is who represents the most credible challenge to Bola Tinubu today, Peter Obi remains very much at the center of that conversation.

A "coalition" does not connote subordination or superiority. When Buhari of the CPC and Tinubu of the ACN came together to form the APC, it was not a master/slave affair but a strategic alliance to wrestle power from an incumbent. Tinubu was okay with nominating Osinbajo as Vice when his desire to deputise Buhari was unfeasible. The rest is history. That ship has already sailed and no one is having any nostalgia about it. We are just analysing how delayed gratification and foresight can actually be a potent political strategy. Obi contesting as an individual candidate is bad for both major candidates but more bad for one than it is for the other. Time is a gentleman.

epainos:
He makes sense, but still I know he isnt the person to lead Naija. He is only pretending.

Peter Obi is so funny. He wants to invest proceeds from subsidy in our health care system because according to him, it is the most important sector decaying presently. Yet, under the same Obi's watch as a governor of Anambra, doctors went on strike for more than 1 year. Sowore pointed it out. Lol.

No be juju be that? Man wey no send health, suddently send am cos he wan talk his way to Aso Rock.

What was the duration of the said strike and why?. Come with concrete facts if you can.

byinks:
Atiku is on fire on SM.
People are jumping off NDC boat in in droves.

They're shouting "I'm voting subsidy"

"My candidate is subsidy"

Atiku has successfully leveraged a protest vote in his favour.

In my view, the 2027 elections have been won and lost already with a single masterstroke from Atiku. APC also came into power riding on populism.

byinks:
Exactly the point.

So Why has current borrowing exceeded and broken all past records ?

Because we are now more financially buoyant to borrow.

Macroeconomics and public finance are branches of knowledge. You dont use common sense to reason am.

The fact that we are no longer paying subsidy doesn't mean we still dont have budget deficit.

Just ask ChatGPT,Gomini,Grok or whatever "IS MONEY SAVED FROM SUBSIDY REMOVAL ENOUGH TO COVER FOR OUR ANNUAL BUDGET DEFICIT OR INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICIT??"

This CHATGPT Answer



Short answer: No — the savings from fuel-subsidy removal are not enough to cover Nigeria’s overall annual budget deficit, let alone the country’s enormous infrastructure deficit.

There is an important distinction between “money saved” and “money available for new spending.”

1. How much did subsidy removal save?

The World Bank originally projected that removing the petrol subsidy would generate about ₦2 trillion in fiscal savings in 2023, rising to more than ₦11 trillion cumulatively by the end of 2025.

More recently, the government has put the cumulative resources mobilised from subsidy savings between June 2023 and December 2025 at around ₦15.8 trillion.

That sounds enormous, but compare it with Nigeria's fiscal requirements.

2. Compare it with the budget deficit

For 2026, the federal government's fiscal plan projected:

Total expenditure: ~₦54.5 trillion

Expected revenue: ~₦34.3 trillion

Budget deficit: ~₦20.1 trillion

Debt servicing: ~₦15.9 trillion


So even using the government's ₦15.8 trillion cumulative subsidy-savings figure, it is less than one year's projected ₦20.1 trillion federal budget deficit.

And there is an even bigger issue: the ₦15.8 trillion is cumulative over roughly 2½ years, whereas the deficit is an annual figure.

3. What about infrastructure?

This is where the answer becomes an even stronger no.

Nigeria's infrastructure requirement is measured in tens of trillions of naira over many years, covering:

roads and bridges

electricity generation/transmission

rail

water supply

healthcare

schools

housing

irrigation

ports

digital infrastructure


Therefore, subsidy savings could make a meaningful contribution to infrastructure, but they cannot realistically finance Nigeria's entire infrastructure gap.

4. So where did the savings go?

This is the crucial point.

The savings did not simply sit in a government account waiting to be spent on roads and hospitals.

Nigeria's fiscal position remains under significant pressure from debt servicing, government expenditure and other obligations. In July 2026, the Finance Minister said that savings from subsidy and foreign-exchange reforms had been largely absorbed by higher debt-servicing costs and increased government expenditure.

There was also a transparency problem: the World Bank reported in 2025 that NNPCL had been remitting only about 50% of the gains from subsidy removal to the government account at that point.

The simplest way to put it

Think of it this way:

> Subsidy removal stopped a major financial leak; it did not suddenly make Nigeria a rich country.



The reform substantially improved government finances and increased fiscal space. Reuters reported in August 2026 that the government views the reforms as having helped stabilise public finances and strengthen foreign reserves.

But Nigeria still has:

low revenue + huge recurrent expenditure + enormous debt service + budget deficits + massive infrastructure needs.

So if someone argues:

> “The government removed fuel subsidy and saved trillions, therefore that money alone should have been enough to eliminate the budget deficit and fix Nigeria's infrastructure.”



That argument is not supported by the numbers.

A more accurate criticism would be:

> “Subsidy removal created substantial fiscal savings, but the government has not converted those savings into infrastructure and improved public services on a scale commensurate with the hardship imposed on citizens.”



That is a much stronger and more defensible argument.

DeepSight:
For me, this is the most important thing. Its ridiculous for the govt of the day and the opposition to all be saying the same thing. If they are, there is no point in opposition. Even if bringing back the subsidy is a bad idea (and it is not) certainly there is value in having opposing ideas which the electorate will interrogate.

Opposition without sense and just for the sake of opposing will get no where
See what Atiku is surrounding himself with

No wonder he ha been running for almost 40 years

AMINDA:
In politics, there is what is known as strategic silence. Clearly, Peter Obi is being used by Obasanjo who's only life mission is to see that Atiku does not become president. He has effectively weared himself thin and talked himself out of the 2027 conversation and will further bleed supporters as a result of this. He may still enjoy the euphoria from people screaming "Obi, Obi" every now and then, but winning a presidential election goes beyond that. You have to be disruptive and come up with policy positions that differ from the status quo. Otherwise, why are you opposing? If Tinubu is a Southerner and Obi left a unified coalition because it's the "turn of the South" and still wants to sustain fuel subsidy removal just like Tinubu, why then does he want to unseat Tinubu instead of stepping down and fully backing his re-election? Not as many people will troop out again to vote for him enmass like they did in 2027 if they see that he genuinely does not stand a chance. The 2027 election will be won by the candidate who is able to build the most momentum.

You don’t just oppose everything because you are an opposition. There is always a silver lining in the cloud. There may be some few things Tinubu has done right (even though is has messed up most things), those few things must be sustained.
The points Obi made is valid.
- removal should be in an orderly manner
- the money recouped should not be stolen but invested properly.
*the problem of the subsidy removal is that the government of today have taken the corruption away from business men and have handed it to politicians. Now the money are being stolen and handed to governors to use and empower APC and buy votes.
Your idea is the backward idea some new governments have that make them abandon projects they inherited and start new ones just to show they are opposing the previous government

oluwaseyi0:
Opposition without sense and just for the sake of opposing will get no where
See what Atiku is surrounding himself with

No wonder he ha been running for almost 40 years

Rare video of Tinubu doing opposition with sense. Clearly, Peter Obi fell for the gaslighting by your likes.

No one explains the impact of President Tinubu’s reforms on everyday Nigerians better than Tinubu himself. Just revisit his old campaign videos attacking Goodluck Jonathan. The arguments he made then about hardship, poverty and the cost of living are the same complaints many… pic.twitter.com/UApqRKnB2T

— Káyọ̀dé Ògúndámisí 🇳🇬 (@ogundamisi) August 22, 2026

Nigerian are not ready for change we will be here for many years to come we all should be prepared for what it coming after 2027.
With subsidy or no subsidy if we like make every citizen contribute 1m each to the government every month they will still do there mind because the agenda this politicians dey take enter site no here.
Na why every 4 years they are changing parties the same people the same format the same mindset

oluwaseyi0:
Opposition without sense and just for the sake of opposing will get no where
See what Atiku is surrounding himself with

No wonder he ha been running for almost 40 years

You can calm down, he is unlikely to win okay?

That does not mean many people in this country are not interested in hearing policies that are not created by Satan in Hell Fire, where Tinubu gets his inspiration from.

Respect I have for PO just vanished by his anti people and unpopulist policy - not supporting reinstatement of fuel subsidy.

PO fall from my hand, what is essence of governance if the masses are not benefitting anything from the natural endowment of their country.

Most of oil producing countries have subsidized petroleum products for their citizenry. Most of them like gulf nations do not tax their citizens

Why Nigeria which has same natural resources like them is different. They re copying UK and other European countries forgetting to copy their social security system.

AWONEYAN:
Two confisonist that has opposing policies clamouring to rule Nigeria.

We have passed the level of gambling.

We are moving forward

anonimi:
Would you rather have Tinubu’s amalanomics that robs us of subsidies to pay for his own luxury

His own luxury? You don't know what you're talking about just as Obi doesn't really understand what removal of subsidy is.

I don't know why Obi is thinking that certain amount of money were set aside for subsidy but not used.

It means government no longer fund the gap.

Removal of subsidy means no such provision is made in the budget.

Peter Obi don lose 2027 be that...

Obi failed in touching the answer to soothe the pains Nigerians are going through but still he's far better than Tinubu and Atiku.

Atiku is going back on his support for fuel subsidy removal, after seeing what Tinubu did with, that shows you he's a man of inconsistency and not a pragmatic leader.

Obi did present his point very well. He should have said he would bring back some level of fuel subsidy, but will be working gradually to completely remove as the living standard of average Nigerians improves.
Obi needs good advisors around him.

Basic123:
Vote that will not make him the president

that is my own cup of tea ....e nor concern u

ottersberger:
What was the duration of the said strike and why?. Come with concrete facts if you can.

So, you cant use your Google at least to cover up. What is out in the open is what you want me to start telling you the facts one by one. And you saw the duration, and you still have the boldness to return here.

My recommendation is you return to primary 5 and let them teach you the meaning of over 1 year.

See...I dont have any other way to help you.

Gooluck as you find someone else to drag senseless issues with.

helinues:
He had no choice than to reverse after the backlash. He initially backed Atiku.

I still commented on thread about it yesterday

The opposition are really struggling on what to use as campaign against this government

Meanwhile, the Obidients are currently confused about this

https://www.nairaland.com/8735093/current-confusion-obidients-camp

So, my friend.

“Ebi Mpawa” is which Nigerian language?. And who was it that muttered those heartbreaking words in lamentation over the sorry state in which they unfortunately found themselves?.

Mr. Peter Obi made it clear ab initio that he would dismantle the criminal enterprise called “subsidy” in Nigeria. But he also told us that he would not do so haphazardly. Rather, it would be done gradually, in a carefully structured and phased manner, with the savings verifiably reapplied to alleviate critical aspects of Nigerians’ lives, particularly health and education.

This stands in direct opposition to the disaster that Ahmed Tinubu, the man you support, has thrown Nigeria into. Not only was his plan poorly thought through, but Nigeria went from the frying pan straight into an open burning flame. Whatever was purportedly realized from the removal of the subsidy was promptly looted by this administration, in what appears to be a continuation of the aforementioned criminal enterprise, while most of our taxes have increased and are set to rise even further and expand should Ahmed Tinubu, unfortunately, return in 2027.

Let’s be clear here: no one “reversed after the backlash.” What H.E. Mr. Peter Gregory Obi is offering is a well-thought-out economic blueprint, tailored to our circumstances and designed to deliver stability and growth after 39 months of the disaster called Ahmed Tinubu and his gang of incompetent looters whose actions have had such a devastating impact on the lives of Nigerians.

The difference, therefore, is not between someone who wants to remove subsidies and someone who does not. It is between how it is done, who bears the burden, and whether the resulting savings are transparently and productively reinvested in the Nigerian people.

This is one of the choices H.E Mr. Peter Gregory Obi presents to the Nigerian people in the coming election, in sharp contrast to the disastrous incompetence of your absentee, bunker-dwelling wannabe president.