Let me start by telling you the presidential candidate to reject outrightly if we don't want to deepen our sufferings as Nigerians.

Any presidential candidate who says he will remove oil subsidy when elected should be ruled out as a viable candidate. It means importation of refined oil will continue its shameful reign under him.

And the importers will be making a whale of income in a deregulated environment where a liter of petrol can cost N1,000, as pricing will be determined by the exchange rate of Naira to dollar. Refined oil is imported in dollars, as you know.

So, if Naira falls to N1,000 to a dollar, they will simply transfer the cost to Nigerians. It can be as bad as N1,000 per liter of petrol. Diesel already sells for as high as N959 per litre.  That's what the manufacturing sector relies on. Even banks! They now cut their active working time to 3pm. In Okada, Edo State, where my university is situated, it's 2pm. They switch off their diesel generator at that hour and use cheaper power devices to tidy up their books and go home.

Manufacturers tell you 50 to 60 percent of their overheads go to power - that is, cost of diesel and maintenance of generators!

Any presidential candidate who is not focused on and prioritising the fixing of our four refineries to produce refined petroleum products locally and affordably to the Nigerian consumers is a captive of the oil-importing cabals bent on keeping us in the importation trap of a commodity we have the capacity to refine locally.

Telling us you will remove subsidy which will bring tremendous hardships to the people instead of tackling the rot at its base is a clear evidence you have no feelings for our suffering  people as a presidential candidate.

We have four refineries where people are collecting billions in salaries for doing no work! Not refining even a liter of oil! And the importer cabals like it that way because the day the refineries start working,  they will be out of business.

Oil is the one single commodity that a president who is for the people can use to bring quick impetus to economic revival and relief to the masses. Petrol and diesel are the souls of transportation, and aviation fuel is the soul of air travel. Petrol and diesel are the oil that power  our industries, banks, agricultural businesses like hatcheries and green houses, and small businesses like barbing/hair-dressing salons, frozen foods, welding, medical laboratories services etc. He who can make oil affordable is the president we need.

And oil can be affordable. All that is required is to supply crude to local refineries at just a little margin above production cost per barrel. If a barrel costs $20 to $30, extra $2 could be the mark-up when selling to the local refineries. We won't sell at the global market price which can be as high as $100 per barrel. Afterall, the crude oil is a gift from God! What I'm saying isn't rocket science. People enjoy it even much more in other oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya etc. In some countries like Libya, each adult citizen is paid some of the proceeds from oil - being a common wealth.

If this is done, a liter of petrol will be sold for N50 and diesel N100. Similar review will attend the prices of aviation fuel, kerosene, and even gas. With this, the prices the masses pay for transportation, air travel, manufactures etc will go down drastically.

It is doable, but a presidential candidate beholden to the oil importation cartels will be no good! Caveat emptor! Voters beware! Wish you all a happy, peaceful, and prosperous new year.

** Femi Olufunmilade is a Professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies  at Igbinedion University Okada, Edo State.