Buhari was not in charge, I’ll take full control of my govt if elected – Obi

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has said he will take full charge of his administration if elected president in the 2027 general election.

Obi made the statement while discussing the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and its handling of corruption during an interview with the BBC.

The former Anambra State governor argued that Buhari was not fully in control of his administration, insisting that his approach to governance would be different if given the opportunity to lead the country.

“He was not in charge. The difference is this: I will be in charge,” Obi said.

He also reiterated his position on fuel subsidy, saying he would retain or restore the subsidy under his administration after eliminating what he described as corruption associated with the policy.

Obi said the major problem with the subsidy regime was not the subsidy itself but the corruption surrounding its implementation.

“From day one, I talked about subsidy. Corruption is the problem of subsidy. I will remove the corruption and return the subsidy,” he said.

The NDC candidate further argued that reducing corruption in government would begin with the conduct of the President and members of his immediate family.

“If you are not stealing, if you are not involved, and your wife and family are not involved, then you reduce it by 50 per cent,” he said.

Obi’s latest comments come amid renewed debate over the future of petrol subsidy ahead of the 2027 presidential election. President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy during his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

Obi had previously expressed support for subsidy removal, but he has subsequently clarified that his objection was to the corruption and alleged mismanagement associated with the scheme. In September, he said his administration would restore the subsidy after tackling corruption.

During the BBC interview, Obi maintained that his position was not a reversal of his underlying argument.

“I have not changed on fuel subsidy. What has changed is that whenever I talk about methodology, people say, ‘Oh, he has changed.’ From day one that I talked about subsidy, I talked about corruption. Corruption is the problem of subsidy,” he said.

He said that if elected, his administration would seek to eliminate the corruption associated with the subsidy regime while ensuring that Nigerians continued to benefit from the policy.

The debate over subsidy is expected to remain a major issue in the 2027 campaign, with opposition candidates proposing different approaches to reducing petrol costs, while the Tinubu administration has continued to defend the removal of the subsidy.

Follow Very Nigerian WhatsApp Channel
For Verified Breaking News, Exclusive Reports, Trending Stories, And Real-time Updates.
CLICk HERE TO JOIN!