A Kaduna-based Islamic scholar and former Special Adviser to two former governors of Kaduna State, Sheikh Haliru Maraya, has cautioned politicians seeking elective offices in 2027 against making unrealistic promises to Nigerians in their bid to win votes.
Maraya, who spoke against calls by some politicians for the return of fuel subsidy, urged presidential aspirants to be honest with Nigerians about the country’s economic challenges and tell them what government can realistically afford.
The cleric said politicians should not exploit the hardship being experienced by Nigerians by making promises they know they cannot fulfil if elected.
“Presidential candidates should always tell people the truth. They should not deceive Nigerians simply because they want to win votes. God does not like lies and deception,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria’s current economic situation cannot sustain a return to the old fuel subsidy regime, which he described as financially burdensome.
“At present, Nigeria’s economy, to be honest, cannot afford to continue paying fuel subsidies as it did in the past. If the subsidy is brought back, the economy could collapse within a short time, and the government may be unable to do other important things,” Maraya said.
He said available estimates put Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption at between 47 million and 64 million litres, while the total cost of a litre, including refining, transportation, insurance and customs charges, was about N1,218.
Maraya argued that restoring the subsidy would require the government to commit huge resources that could otherwise be channelled into infrastructure and other development projects.
“If Nigeria takes on the cost of the subsidy as it did in the past, it would spend about N52.3 billion every day. That would amount to about N1.6 trillion every month and more than N19 trillion every year,” he said.
The scholar questioned where such funds would come from, particularly against the backdrop of the size of the national budget.
He noted that Nigeria’s 2026 budget stood at N68.3 trillion, urging politicians to consider the wider economic implications of their campaign promises before making them.
Maraya said those seeking the presidency and other elective positions must fear God and avoid promising what they know they cannot deliver.
“People should not make promises they cannot fulfil simply because they want votes and political power. Later, such a person may come back and apologise to Nigerians, saying that they did not know how difficult the situation was,” he said.
He said Nigeria needed leaders who would tell citizens the truth about the economy and take difficult but responsible decisions in the national interest.
“We Nigerians need leaders who will tell us the truth about the state of our economy and then take the right decisions concerning the removal of fuel subsidy,” he said.
Maraya also urged Nigerians to be patient with the removal of the subsidy, saying resources previously spent on subsidising petrol could be redirected to development.
“We should be patient with the removal of the subsidy because the government was spending N52 billion every day on it. The money saved can be used to carry out other development projects for the country and its people,” he said.
The cleric, however, called for the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s existing refineries and the construction of new ones to reduce the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
“We hope Nigerians will continue to be patient until our four refineries are repaired. We also hope that new refineries will be built in the future so that some of the problems we are facing in the country can be solved,” he said.
While acknowledging that Nigerians would prefer a smoother transition, Maraya said the country’s economic situation required difficult choices.
“We all prefer everything to go smoothly, but Allah did not make it happen that way,” he said.
He warned that restoring fuel subsidy without a sustainable financing plan could further strain the economy and affect government operations.
“If the fuel subsidy is brought back, within a short period, economic activities could come to a standstill and government operations could also be affected,” Maraya said.
