.Challenges Shettima to explain subsidy savings, rising debt

By Steve Oko

The Kwankwaso National Network, KNN, has challenged the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, to resign his appointment and support the presidential ambition of his kinsman, Mr Peter Obi, rather than campaign for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election based on selfish interests.

KNN’s reaction followed Ike-Muonso’s recent call on Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, to drop his ambition and support Tinubu in 2027, arguing that the South should complete its eight-year tenure before power returns to the North.

The group, a support network for Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, described the position as disappointing, arguing that Nigeria needed leadership capable of addressing economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power rather than continuity with policies it blamed for the country’s difficulties.

KNN sought to know how Obi’s emergence as Nigeria’s President in 2027 would disadvantage the South as claimed by Ike-Muonso, asking whether Obi is a Northerner.

The group argued that Obi who had declared his intention to be in office for only one term if elected, will only be completing the turn of the South.

KNN in a statement by its South East Regional Coordinator, Dr Ukpai Iro Ukpai, said the 2027 election should be about competence, accountability and national recovery, not merely regional power rotation.

“2027 is not about the continuation of misgovernance and ineptitude; it is about rescuing Nigeria from total collapse,” the group declared.

It described Obi as a credible alternative with national appeal across ethnic and religious divides, urging Nigerians dissatisfied with the current administration to support his presidential project.

KNN also criticised Vice President Kashim Shettima over his reported remark that Obi had nothing to offer beyond statistics.

Shettima made the comment at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, where he questioned Obi’s economic proposals and his opposition to the restoration of petrol subsidy.

Challenging the Vice President, KNN said he should counter Obi’s figures with verifiable data rather than make sweeping allegations.

The group also demanded explanations for the administration’s borrowing despite its claims of increased fiscal savings following petrol subsidy removal in May 2023.

It challenged Shettima to provide a transparent account of the savings generated, how the funds had been deployed and the tangible benefits Nigerians had received.

KNN further questioned the progress made in rehabilitating Nigeria’s state-owned refineries, demanding clarity on expenditure, operational capacity and timelines for delivering results.

The group argued that Nigerians deserved measurable improvements in living standards, energy security and economic opportunities rather than repeated assurances of recovery.

It warned that political rhetoric would not shield the All Progressives Congress, APC, from electoral rejection if the government failed to address citizens’ concerns.

KNN maintained that the 2027 election should be determined by candidates’ competence, policy proposals and performance, insisting that Nigerians deserved accountability and a government that prioritised their welfare.