Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, says anyone who supports the continued sale of petrol at N1,300 per litre is unfit to lead Nigeria.
Okonkwo spoke on Arise TV on Tuesday while criticising the Bola Tinubu administration over the high cost of petrol, insecurity and electricity supply.
“Anybody who is telling you that Nigerians can pay N1,300 for fuel… I heard diesel had exceeded N2,000 Naira per litre,” he said.
”Anybody who is telling Nigerians to continue paying that is wicked, and is not fit to be a president in this country.”
Okonkwo said the government could reduce the price of refined petroleum products by making crude oil available to domestic refineries at discounted rates and providing infrastructure for oil-producing companies.
“Dangote himself said, if you supply all the crude I need, the price will come down to N800 instantly,” Okonkwo said.
In May 2023, Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy, a decision that led to a sharp increase in the price of fuel and contributed to higher transportation and living costs.
The issue has since become a major part of the debate among presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has promised to restore petrol subsidy if elected, arguing that the federal government has failed to account for the funds saved from its removal.
Other presidential candidates have also proposed lower petrol prices. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim of the Accord said petrol would sell for N605 per litre under his administration, while Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) promised to reduce the prices of petrol, cooking gas and aviation fuel to N200 per litre.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), however, opposed the return of petrol subsidy but called for the funds saved from its removal to be used judiciously.
Okonkwo also criticised the Tinubu administration over its handling of the power sector, accusing it of presiding over repeated national grid collapses.
“Tinubu that ran on the basis that if I don’t provide power for you, don’t vote for me again. We have witnessed the highest grid collapses in Nigeria in history,” he said.
On insecurity, Okonkwo accused the administration of failing to protect Nigerians from bandits and terrorists, saying a government that cannot prevent mass kidnappings has failed in one of its fundamental responsibilities.
“And when he steps aside, Nigerians should vote for the man who wants fuel to be affordable, who wants security to be provided in a nation where they will march 500 persons from Niger state to the bush, march them, kidnap them, the whole village, without being confronted. That commander-in-chief should go home to his village,” he said.
“He has just failed. And there’s no consequence to anybody who did not perform. Atiku would not allow that.”
Okonkwo also criticised the administration over what he described as excessive import waivers, alleging that N34 trillion had been granted in waivers.
He said Atiku had the experience and institutional knowledge needed to address the country’s challenges, citing his role as vice-president between 1999 and 2007 and his membership of the economic team under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.