President Bola Tinubu has ruled out restoring petrol subsidies, invoking the biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt to defend his administration’s decision to end the policy.
Tinubu made the remarks on Monday at an event organised by the City Boy Movement, a pro-Tinubu group led by his son, Seyi Tinubu, which is mobilising young Nigerians ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Using the biblical account of Moses and the Israelites’ journey out of Egypt, the president compared Nigeria’s current economic challenges to the obstacles the Israelites encountered at the Red Sea before the waters parted to allow them to cross.
He argued that Nigeria should not reverse the removal of petrol subsidies, insisting that the country could no longer afford to sustain the policy.
“I came and I removed subsidy the first day. I knew Nigeria would go bankrupt. There was nothing left to pay subsidy,” Tinubu said.
He added that although his political opponents had promised to restore the subsidy if elected, he remained convinced that reversing the decision would be a mistake.
“I remember my scripture studies, both in the Bible and in the Holy Quran. When Moses and Musa left Egypt, they faced a challenge, and the Red Sea parted and gave way. You cannot ask Moses to go back to Egypt,” he said.
Tinubu also called on young Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the 2027 presidential election, urging his supporters to promote his administration’s achievements and future plans.
“Make sure every young person you know has a PVC and uses it, tell them what we have done and tell them what we will do,” the president said.
He maintained that his campaign would focus on ideas and policies aimed at moving the country forward, adding that Nigeria would not return to what he described as its previous economic situation.
Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, during his inauguration as president. The decision has since generated widespread debate, with critics citing rising fuel prices and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for reconsidering the policy.
Several opposition figures seeking political office in 2027 have proposed measures to reduce petrol prices, with some indicating that they would consider restoring the subsidy.
Last week, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), said the party would “do whatever is necessary” to bring down petrol prices, including potentially reinstating the subsidy if it wins the 2027 election.
His position followed an earlier statement by Peter Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, who said his administration would restore the subsidy after addressing corruption.
Similarly, Donald Duke, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), said earlier this month that he would seek to reduce petrol prices to approximately ₦300 per litre if elected in 2027.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, also pledged in August to restore the subsidy if elected, alleging that the savings generated by its removal had been misappropriated.
The competing positions on petrol subsidy policy are expected to remain a major issue in the build-up to the 2027 presidential election, as Nigerians continue to grapple with the economic consequences of subsidy removal.
