Former presidential aspirant under PDP, journalist and author, Ada Kate Uchegbu, has welcomed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s decision to make the restoration of petrol subsidy part of his 2027 presidential campaign, saying the position echoes her own promise to restore fuel subsidy, which was published online in May 2026.

Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, has made the restoration of petrol subsidy part of his economic agenda ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Uchegbu said Atiku’s position reflects an issue she had already placed before the Nigerian public months earlier, when she publicly promised that her administration would restore the fuel subsidy if elected President.

According to Uchegbu, her position was driven by concerns over the impact of fuel price increases on ordinary Nigerians, particularly low-income families, workers, small businesses and the wider cost of living.

«“My promise to restore fuel subsidy was published online in May 2026, months before Atiku made his position part of his 2027 campaign agenda. I am therefore pleased that the issue is now receiving renewed political attention,” Uchegbu said.»

She stressed that her argument was never simply about maintaining a subsidy without accountability. Rather, she said, the government must find a way to protect Nigerians from the cascading effects of high fuel prices while ensuring that public funds are properly managed.

The former presidential aspirant argued that petrol prices have consequences far beyond the filling station. Nigeria’s dependence on road transportation means that increases in fuel costs affect transportation fares, food distribution, the prices of goods and services, manufacturing and the operating costs of small businesses.

Uchegbu said these consequences were among the reasons she made the restoration of fuel subsidy part of her own policy platform.

She acknowledged that Nigeria must address waste, corruption and inefficiency associated with subsidy administration. However, she maintained that removing the subsidy without adequate protection for citizens can transfer the economic burden from government to ordinary Nigerians.

“The question is not whether government should spend money recklessly. The question is whether government can design a transparent and sustainable system that protects Nigerians from unbearable economic hardship,” she said.

Uchegbu also said any restored subsidy programme must be properly monitored to prevent corruption and leakages.

She maintained that economic policies should ultimately be judged by their impact on the people.

“If Nigerians cannot afford transportation, food and basic necessities, then government must listen and reconsider its policies. Economic reform must have a human face,” she said.

She welcomed the renewed political debate over the future of fuel subsidy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, saying Nigerians should be given the opportunity to compare the economic policies of the various presidential contenders.

For Uchegbu, however, the significance of the current debate goes beyond political competition.

“It is not about who said it first. What matters is whether the policy will ultimately help Nigerians,” she said.

She added that her May 2026 promise remains part of her broader position that Nigeria’s economic policies must prioritise affordability, employment, food security, affordable transportation and improved living standards.

As political parties and presidential candidates prepare for the 2027 election, fuel subsidy is likely to remain one of the most closely watched economic issues among Nigerian voters.