African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has said he would retain the fuel subsidy if elected president, arguing that the programme can be sustained by tackling corruption and leakages in its implementation.
Sowore, who is also a prominent activist, stated this during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, where he argued that the removal of the subsidy had deepened economic hardship for Nigerians.
He said the problem was not the subsidy itself but the corruption surrounding its implementation.
“My plan for subsidy is that it will not be removed. So, it’s corruption. The person who can sustain subsidy and support for the poor, and who can at the same time fight corruption, is the person you should go with—not the person who was part of those looting the subsidy funds before, who had benefited from sabotaging the masses, who now claims that the masses have to be blamed,” he said.
Sowore said his administration’s plan for retaining and funding the subsidy was already contained in his policy proposals and manifesto.
He also disclosed that he had developed an application, SoworeNow, which he said provides details of his policies and explains how his proposed administration would fund and sustain the subsidy programme.
According to the AAC candidate, reviving Nigeria’s refineries and expanding local refining would be central to reducing the cost of petroleum products and funding the subsidy.
Sowore criticised the state of Nigeria’s four refineries, saying his administration would ensure they become operational to reduce dependence on imported refined petroleum products.
“You have four refineries in Nigeria, none of which are working. I can make them work. I will make it work because if you are refining locally, even if you are saving 10 Naira per gallon, that’s a huge amount of money, considering that you are consuming about 60 million litres of fuel on a daily basis,” he said.
The activist also vowed to eliminate what he described as the “cabal” benefiting from corruption in the subsidy regime, while ensuring that funds allocated to the programme directly benefit Nigerians.
“I’m restoring subsidy, I made that clear. What will be missing in restoration is that nobody will have a chance to import fuel that did not arrive here,” he said.
Sowore recalled his work as a journalist with Sahara Reporters, where he said he helped uncover major alleged subsidy-related fraud.
“We will make sure that every dime spent on subsidy is not stolen; it gets to the people. You remove the cabal, subsidy is in order; you keep them in place, subsidy is out of order,” he said.
On questions about his governance experience, Sowore argued that leadership experience should not be measured solely by holding public office. He said his years of activism and advocacy for democracy had given him a clear understanding of Nigeria’s political challenges.
“Leadership is about passion, mission, and vision,” he said, adding that many of the ideas he had advocated for over the years were now being adopted by political leaders.
Sowore also reiterated his call for a major overhaul of Nigeria’s political establishment, saying his administration would hold accountable individuals found to have deprived Nigerians of a better life.
He argued that transitional justice would be necessary to move the country forward and establish a new political order.
“You can bring order to the forefront so that everybody understands that we are in an orderly society,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria needs a new generation of leaders with the capacity to govern effectively and live within their means.
Sowore further ruled out joining a political coalition within the existing political establishment, arguing that such arrangements often compromise those who enter them.
“That system is the cemetery of human conscience. The moment you get there, they know what to do to cage you, to compromise you,” he said.
Speaking on his 2027 presidential campaign, Sowore said his consistency and willingness to engage directly with Nigerians would distinguish his campaign.
He urged Nigerians to embrace what he described as a new political direction and reject “renewed hopelessness.”
“There is somebody out here amongst you who can make the change you are looking for happen—not renewed hopelessness,” he said.
