President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has defended the removal of petrol subsidy, declaring that the policy belongs to Nigeria’s past while warning voters against what he described as misleading promises ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Tinubu spoke on Saturday, October 24, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna State, where he appealed to Nigerians to support his bid for a second term.

The President urged voters to scrutinise statements made by opposition politicians as political parties begin campaigning ahead of the next general election.

“Be careful, watch them, don’t let them lie to you,” Tinubu told supporters at the rally.

He also defended his administration’s decision to end the petrol subsidy regime in 2023, linking the policy to what he described as past corruption and irregularities in the petroleum sector.

“What is the past is the past, fuel subsidy is in our past, no more corruption, no more falsification of invoices, no more lies, no more smuggling of fuel,” the President said.

Tinubu maintained that Nigerians should focus on the future and the opportunities his administration says its economic reforms will create.

“Your prosperity is here. Your future is in your hands, your fingerprints will reflect it,” he added.

The President also appealed to voters to give him another opportunity to lead the country, promising a better future if re-elected in 2027.

“May you give me the privilege to promise you once again of a better tomorrow,” he said.

The comments come amid continued debate over the removal of petrol subsidy, one of the major economic decisions announced by Tinubu shortly after he assumed office in May 2023.

The policy has significantly changed the cost of petrol, contributing to higher transport expenses and adding pressure to household budgets. The government has defended the removal as necessary to reduce the financial burden of subsidy payments on public finances, while critics have questioned the pace of reforms and the measures introduced to cushion their effects.

Opposition politicians have made the subsidy debate part of their criticism of the administration. Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reportedly promised to restore the subsidy if elected, a position the Tinubu administration has challenged.

The disagreement highlights a key issue likely to feature in the 2027 election campaign: whether Nigeria should maintain the current subsidy-free arrangement or consider a different approach to petrol pricing and economic support.

Tinubu’s remarks in Kaduna signal that his administration intends to defend the policy as part of its broader economic reform agenda while urging voters to reject proposals it considers misleading.

What is the past is the past, fuel subsidy is in our past, no more corruption, no more lies, no more smuggling of fuel.

– President Tinubu pic.twitter.com/dD5sTN1AlS

— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz) October 24, 2026

As the election approaches, the competing positions of the government and opposition parties are expected to keep the future of petrol subsidy, the cost of living and the wider direction of Nigeria’s economy at the centre of political debate.