OUR OILY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

Nigeria's leading presidential candidates are fixated on oil matters, a trend that has long characterized the nation's political landscape. From the days of former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, who made a famous gaffe about Nigeria's spending being about how to spend money rather than a lack of resources, to the current situation, the oil industry has continued to shape the country's socio-political and economic history.

Despite most advanced nations having moved away from such fixation, Nigeria seems to be stuck in the past. The politics of removing the oil subsidy, a major issue in recent times, has dominated the campaign trail. President Bola Tinubu's May 29, 2023, announcement that fuel subsidy was gone was a bold move, though not without criticism.

His main opponents, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Mr Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), have had different stances on the issue. Abubakar initially vowed to reintroduce the subsidy but later clarified that it would be for production, not downstream operations. Obi, on the other hand, proposes a more transparent and responsive governance, aiming to reduce hardship through people-oriented economic programs.

However, the lack of original ideas and a genuine hope for the people's future is evident. The candidates' promises and plans, while potentially impactful, do not seem to be enough to convince voters. The current frontrunners are Tinubu, Abubakar, and Obi, with Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the 2023 Presidential election's fourth-placed candidate, now serving as Obi's vice-presidential candidate.

As the opposition figures gear up for their campaigns, focusing on fuel issues, it remains to be seen if the government's statements about the current fuel situation will make a difference for the average Nigerian.