Adams Oshiomhole, the former governor of Edo State, claimed during a recent interview on Channels TV that Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), and Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), promised to remove fuel subsidy on their first day in office when elected as Nigeria’s president.
The former national chairman of the ruling APC said, “If there is one issue which all the leading presidential candidates had an agreement on, it is that they all agreed that subsidy will go. I remember the then-candidate, Peter Obi, saying he will remove it on the very first day. Candidate Atiku said the same thing, and candidate Bola Tinubu said the same thing.”
Claim I: Peter Obi promised to remove fuel subsidy on his first day in office as Nigeria’s president
Verification
The CDD War Room reviewed Peter Obi’s campaign statements for the 2023 presidential election and found that he made repeated declarations regarding his plan to remove the fuel subsidy.
In July 2022, Obi said in an interview with Arise News that he would remove fuel subsidy and look for something to replace it as it was not beneficial to Nigeria’s economy.
Also, during a presidential town hall organized by Channels Television on January 8, Obi promised to remove fuel subsidy immediately, if elected president. Describing subsidy as an organized crime, Obi said he would not allow it to stay a day longer when he gets elected into office. This was reported by Premium Times and Channels TV as can be seen here and here.
Obi posted about the event on his verified Twitter handle where he reiterated that he would immediately remove the fuel subsidy when elected.
Verdict: True
The claim that Peter Obi promised to eliminate fuel subsidy on his first day in office as Nigeria’s president, is true. We can confirm that he explicitly stated his intention to remove it immediately, without allowing it to stay a day longer.
Claim II: Atiku Abubakar promised to remove fuel subsidy on his first day in office as Nigeria’s president
Verification
During an interview with Arise News in July 2022, Atiku Abubakar expressed his plan to eliminate fuel subsidy through negotiations if elected as Nigeria’s president in 2023.
“It is inevitable that it will happen. I believe through negotiations again with the organised labour and other sectors of the economy the subsidy removal should be resumed and completed,” Atiku said.
Also in December 2022, Atiku said he would address the issue of fuel subsidy in his first 100 days in office as Nigeria’s president.
Verdict: False
Contrary to the claim, there is no credible media report quoting Atiku Abubakar as promising to remove the fuel subsidy on his first day in office. However, We can confirm that he pledged to eliminate the subsidy within his first 100 days as president.