Presidential contenders, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and Omoyele Sowore on Monday clashed over Nigeria’s insecurity, fuel subsidy, governance and political future at the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The heated exchanges occurred during a presidential candidates’ panel on the second day of the conference, as the politicians offered contrasting solutions to the country’s security, poverty and economic challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The debate became particularly intense when Sowore challenged Amaechi’s record as a former Rivers State governor and criticised successive political leaders over policies he said had worsened the condition of Nigerians.

Sowore maintained his opposition to the removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that government support should benefit poor Nigerians rather than political elites.

“The question about subsidy is, who are you subsidising? You are subsidising the elite. You are subsidising the governors,” Sowore said.

He questioned the repeated removal of fuel subsidy by successive administrations, saying Nigerians had continued to face hardship despite assurances that subsidy removal would improve the economy.

Sowore also criticised Amaechi’s record as Rivers State governor, particularly the rail project implemented under his administration.

“We have a former governor of Rivers State here, Amaechi, who built a rail line that went nowhere,” he said, arguing that an effective transportation system could have helped reduce the burden of fuel costs on residents.

Sowore said Nigerians should assess political leaders based on their records in office and promised that anyone found to have stolen public resources would face justice under his administration if elected.

Amaechi, however, rejected Sowore’s assessment of his record and defended his political experience and the coalition involving former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

He said the coalition remained focused on defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress, while accusing the political establishment of enabling corruption and electoral manipulation.

Amaechi also defended his record as Minister of Transportation, saying he ensured that appointments under his ministry reflected different parts of the country.

Obi offered a different approach to tackling insecurity, linking the crisis to poverty, unemployment and Nigeria’s failure to build a productive economy.

The presidential hopeful argued that Nigeria was not inherently poor but had been impoverished by corruption, weak leadership and inadequate investment in agriculture and other productive sectors.

He said reducing poverty and transforming Nigeria from a consumption-driveeconomy into a productive one would be central to addressing insecurity.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, defended the Federal Government’s proposed reforms on state police, adding another major dimension to discussions on security and governance at the conference.

The exchanges among the presidential contenders came as political parties and potential candidates begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections, with insecurity, economic hardship, fuel costs, corruption and governance expected to remain major issues in the political debate.