Fuel Subsidy and Police Reform Divide 2027 Presidential Candidates at NBA General Conference
Issues surrounding the national fuel subsidy, state policing frameworks, and upcoming electoral dynamics dominated discussions at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday. The high-profile event triggered an intense clash among presidential candidates vying for office in the 2027 general elections.
Presidential candidates—Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), Donald Duke of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), and Adewale Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)—alongside the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, strongly disagreed over the best approach to tackling insecurity, poverty, policing structures, the fuel subsidy, and other pressing national challenges.
The political figures, who participated in a high-stakes presidential debate at the conference themed, “Beyond Limits: Redefining the Practice of Law,” outlined sharply contrasting positions on security management, national economic administration, policing, fuel subsidy policy, and the performance records of previous government administrations.
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This occurred as the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, defended the Federal Government’s ongoing structural reforms, including the proposed establishment of state police.
The debate formed a major highlight of activities at the NBA’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, providing a key platform for presidential candidates to present their policy positions and visions to the public ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Peter Obi Advocates Human Security and Economic Production
In his contribution, Peter Obi stated that Nigeria’s widespread insecurity cannot be effectively tackled without directly addressing the underlying drivers of poverty, unemployment, corruption, and systemic weaknesses within the nation’s security architecture.
The former Anambra State governor called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s overarching security strategy, advocating for what he described as a “human security” approach.
Detailing his position, Obi stated:
“You need to do a comprehensive overhaul or study of our strategy to a security problem today. You need to audit the architecture that is driving that strategy and look at security from a human security perspective.”
According to Obi, systematically reducing poverty and joblessness would lead directly to a reduction in criminality across the country, while corruption and the diversion of public resources must be confronted decisively. Emphasizing the link between economic well-being and national stability, he said:
“The more you pull people out of poverty, the more you reduce insecurity. It is a known fact everywhere.”
Obi also called for significantly better coordination among security agencies, improved staffing levels, upgraded welfare packages for officers, and robust support for local vigilante groups and host communities. He identified intelligence gathering as one of the single major weaknesses in Nigeria’s current security apparatus, noting:
“As it were, the intelligence aspect of our security is very, very weak.”
Furthermore, Obi argued that Nigeria urgently needs to shift from a consumption-based economy to a production-driven model. He highlighted targeted investments in agriculture as a vital pathway to create jobs and alleviate poverty nationwide. Rebutting assertions regarding national financial constraints, Obi remarked:
“Nigeria is not a poor country. Nigeria is poor because those of us who are leaders are stealing the wealth of Nigeria and driving Nigeria into poverty.”
Sowore Rejects Subsidy Removal and Targets Past Governance Records
Taking a starkly different position on energy and economic management, Omoyele Sowore firmly opposed the removal of the petrol subsidy, pledging unequivocally that he would not remove it if elected into office.
Sowore argued that the removal of the petrol subsidy has primarily enriched political elites and state governors rather than delivering tangible benefits to ordinary, everyday Nigerians. He declared:
“The question about subsidy is, who are you subsidising? You are subsidising the elites. You are subsidising the governors.”
The AAC candidate accused successive political administrations of repeatedly removing subsidy provisions under the false promise that the broader national economy would improve for citizens. Reaffirming his policy commitment, Sowore said:
“I will not remove subsidy because the poor in Nigeria need to be subsidised instead of the rich.”
Sowore also directed sharp criticism at the past performance records of former political officeholders at the panel, explicitly challenging Rotimi Amaechi and Peter Obi to account for their accomplishments while in government. He accused Amaechi of failing to deliver meaningful infrastructure during his tenure as Governor of Rivers State, while also criticizing Obi’s past administration in Anambra State over alleged prolonged industrial strikes by university lecturers and medical doctors. Addressing Obi’s record directly, Sowore stated:
“You may like him as a person, but he did not perform as a governor. That is the truth.”
On the issue of national insecurity, Sowore outlined a structured three-stage strategy. The first stage, he explained, involves stopping what he described as national “bleeding” through enhanced funding, modern operational equipment, and improved welfare packages for security agencies. He advocated for the establishment of an internationally standardized security architecture and promised to deploy advanced technology, including drones, to bolster national security coverage.
In addition, Sowore proposed a N500,000 minimum wage, arguing that security personnel and other public workers must be adequately remunerated to perform their duties effectively. He explained that the second stage of his security blueprint centers on the rigorous enforcement of laws and the decisive prosecution of those responsible for instigating insecurity across the country.
The AAC candidate directly linked escalating insecurity to economic inequality, noting that many young Nigerians are lured into kidnapping due to the prospect of making quick money. His broader developmental pledges included:
- Provision of free education across all levels
- Construction of one million public homes
- Widespread job creation initiatives
- A structured transition from a fossil-fuel-dependent economy to a sustainable green economy
Furthermore, Sowore described terrorism in Nigeria as a lucrative “industry” and an “industrial complex,” arguing that insecurity cannot be effectively dismantled without directly addressing the alleged involvement of influential political figures.
Rebutting subsequent remarks from Amaechi, Sowore launched a direct counter-attack regarding transport infrastructure, asserting that Amaechi constructed a rail line in Port Harcourt that ultimately leads to nowhere. Sowore maintained that former officials who failed in public office have no business seeking power again, asserting:
“Please don’t let these politicians lie to you. I love one thing that Amaechi said: apart from Sowore and Adebayo, the rest of us have been in government and we have failed. They have no business coming back. Yes. You guys should be apologising to the Nigerian people.”
Amaechi Highlights Past Performance and Intelligence-Driven Policing
Countering Sowore’s assertions, Rotimi Amaechi maintained that alleviating economic hardship and strengthening intelligence gathering are the core pillars needed to reduce insecurity across the nation. Amaechi stated that any government genuinely attempting to tackle crime must build an economy capable of placing money directly into the hands of citizens. Illustrating his point, he remarked:
“If today lawyers can’t pay their salaries, if you’re not careful, some lawyers will become criminals because crime pays.”
The former Minister of Transportation noted that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari had strengthened regional intelligence cooperation by collaborating with neighboring countries, including Chad and the Benin Republic, to identify and track criminal elements.
Drawing directly from his practical experience as Governor of Rivers State, Amaechi explained that actionable security intelligence allowed him to monitor the movements and activities of individuals across the state continuously. Recalling his tenure, he said:
“When I was governor, I knew where everybody was. I knew who was doing what. I knew who entered a hotel and came out of a hotel, and where he went to. And that information was passed to me every day. And I knew what to do.”
Amaechi pointed out that during his executive tenure in Rivers State, his administration built over 500 primary schools, over 300 health centres, and over 200 roads, resulting in a drastic reduction in criminal activity. He hinted that he fought insecurity to a complete standstill through robust intelligence gathering while serving as governor.
Regarding structural police reforms, Amaechi hinted that he would support community policing over state police, reasoning that community-based policing is primarily designed to detect emerging issues early at the grassroots level. He also pointed out that the Atiku-Amaechi ticket, if elected, would ensure that political appointments are distributed evenly and equitably across all regions of the nation.
Defending his overall record in public office following Sowore’s criticisms of his performance as both governor and minister, Amaechi pointed to major infrastructural achievements, such as the Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna railway projects, urging Nigerians to evaluate political candidates strictly on their concrete achievements.
Speaking on ongoing discussions regarding a potential alliance to field a single opposition presidential candidate, Amaechi stated:
“A coalition should be based on performance. And I say to you we should do a referendum. We have all served in government. Atiku has served in government, Peter Obi has served in government, I have served in government.”
Motioning toward Sowore and Adebayo, Amaechi added:
“All others have, apart from him and this (pointing at Sowore and Adebanjo). Assess us by our last performance and choose.”
He cautioned voters against choosing candidates based on sub-national or ethnic affiliations:
“Don’t just go because you are from Ikwerre or you’re from Omoku (both local government areas in Rivers State) and choose your …, No, that’s why we are running down. Coalition should be based on performance.”
Amaechi subsequently challenged Sowore to showcase his own practical experience and concrete track record in governance:
“Sowore, I said I built that road. I built this road. I built this primary school. I built that primary school. Sowore, what is your experience?”
Duke Labels Subsidy a Scam While Adebayo and Gbajabiamila Debate Police Reform
On his part, Donald Duke, the presidential candidate of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), strongly faulted the Federal Government’s position on fuel subsidy, arguing that Nigeria does not actually operate a genuine subsidy regime. Duke contended that the country cannot logically eliminate a subsidy that does not exist in reality, stating:
“You can’t remove what doesn’t exist. I postulate there is nothing like fuel subsidy.”
The former Cross River State governor argued that Nigeria must take full advantage of its domestic crude oil resources to make petroleum products affordable and significantly boost national economic productivity. He explained that crude oil produces several distinct petroleum products, including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel, and aviation fuel. Consequently, Duke stressed that Nigeria should not compare the cost of petroleum products derived from its own domestic natural resources with prices in nations that must import raw materials.
Duke also expressed deep skepticism regarding the transparency of crude-for-product swap arrangements previously utilized by the nation, stating:
“When we were doing swaps, we said about 300,000 barrels of oil in exchange for petrol; no one ever mentioned the by-products. No one knows what went to. That’s why I believe it’s the biggest scam that has been perpetrated in this country. I don’t believe there’s a subsidy.”
He illustrated his economic argument using the practical example of a commercial farmer:
“If you are a farmer, you produce 10 tonnes of maize annually, and you consume one to keep your workers going, to keep your family going, are you subsidising your family?”
Duke maintained that affordable energy is fundamental to economic productivity and must be made readily available to the citizenry. He stated:
“For me, the overall essence of government is productivity of its people. So if that is the vision or the mission statement of government, all the factors that have to do with productivity must be made abundantly available.”
He rejected arguments suggesting that cheap petrol inevitably encourages cross-border smuggling into neighboring countries, asking whether Nigerians should be financially penalized for law enforcement failures at the borders:
“Are you going to punish your citizens due to your inability to police your borders?”
Duke suggested a practical solution, proposing that petrol allocated for domestic consumption could be dyed a distinctive color and systematically traced to prevent illicit movement across international borders. He described Nigeria’s general approach to national administration as “mental laziness,” reiterating that energy remains a critical driver of national development.
Meanwhile, Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Adewale Adebayo advocated for a fully decentralized policing system, arguing that Nigeria’s federal structure should empower the Federal Government, state governments, and local government councils to establish their own independent police forces. Adebayo stressed that police reform must be recognized as a core constitutional and federalism question, rather than a political slogan:
“It is a principle of law that the sovereignty of Nigeria is divided between federal, state and local. The legislative power includes the power, or should include the power, to police.”
He asserted that any tier of government with the constitutional authority to make laws must also possess the legal capacity to establish a police force to enforce those laws:
“If I can make laws, I should be able to create police to enforce my law. No level of government should depend on another level to enforce its own law.”
When asked directly whether he supported state police, Adebayo affirmed his stance in favor of multi-level policing:
“I support police at every level of government. Federal, its own police. State, its own police. Local government, its own police. Because that is how it should be in federalism.”
Adebayo characterized decentralized policing as an inherent right belonging to different levels of government, rather than a concession granted by the Federal Government. He attributed the current centralized police structure to historical military rule, arguing that military decrees abolished previous policing arrangements and produced a constitution that failed to reflect true federalism. When asked about the current proposal for state police, Adebayo described it as “a trick” by President Bola Tinubu.
In a keynote address titled “Policing in Transition,” Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, spoke extensively regarding the current administration’s reforms, outlining why they matter and establishing the criteria by which the government’s efforts should be evaluated. Gbajabiamila stated that President Bola Tinubu decided to confront an uncomfortable truth the country had ignored for too long by moving forward with the establishment of state police.
Warning against unguided structural shifts, Gbajabiamila said:
“Centralised policing without safeguards will bring about more chaos.”
He explained that the administration’s reform introduces a dual policing framework designed to correct existing structural imbalances, adding:
“Nigerians must receive equal protection in every state, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or others.”
Gbajabiamila emphasized the necessity of achieving broad agreement on the precise challenges the reforms are intended to solve, noting:
“It’s important that we agree on the specific nature of the problems we’re trying to solve with these reforms.”
He highlighted police personnel constraints as a primary operational challenge, stating:
“Nigeria has one policeman for every 650 people, compared to the international benchmark of one policeman to every 450.”
Gbajabiamila noted that this deficit becomes even more alarming when taking into account that a large portion of existing officers are diverted to administrative and personal escort duties.
To ensure law enforcement officers are capable of enforcing the law effectively, Gbajabiamila stressed the necessity of comprehensive training:
“Training must prepare officers to enforce the law properly; professionalism is also very important.”
He added that:
“policing should become a respected career that every Nigerian chooses.”
Addressing the complex issue of institutional oversight, Gbajabiamila asked: “Who polices the police?” He acknowledged democratic mandates while stressing institutional safeguards:
“a governor elected by the people cannot be denied the right to carry out executive duties,”
however, he firmly insisted that:
“a governor shouldn’t be allowed to order the arrest of a political opponent.”
He further stressed institutional protection for officers standing against unlawful instructions:
“an officer who refuses an unlawful command must be protected as well,”
insisting that:
“these protections mustn’t be just by word of mouth, but by strengthened institutions.”
Gbajabiamila concluded his address by tackling public concerns regarding potential partisan misuse of police authority under the proposed state policing framework.
