The Nigerian Government has responded strongly to the recent comments made by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, asserting that the monarch’s assistance is not required to validate the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement released on Thursday, Information Minister Mohammed Idris expressed disappointment over Sanusi’s shift in position regarding the government’s economic policies. Idris noted that Sanusi, who had previously supported key reforms such as the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates, now appeared to subtly condemn these policies, seemingly due to a change in his loyalty.
Sanusi, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), made his remarks on Wednesday during the Memorial Lecture for Chief Gani Fawehinmi in Lagos, where he stated that he would not be offering his support to the Tinubu administration in tackling Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges.
The Emir’s return to power as the Emir of Kano last year , four years after being deposed by the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has sparked legal disputes, with the deposed 15th Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero, challenging his reinstatement. There have also been claims suggesting that the Federal Government is in favor of Bayero, although these allegations have been denied by the government.
In response to these developments, Minister Idris expressed surprise that a traditional leader of Sanusi’s stature would admit to withholding the truth based on personal interests, which he suggested were driven by imagined antagonism. Idris emphasized that Sanusi’s background in economics gives him a unique responsibility to contribute positively to national progress, rather than undermine reforms for personal reasons.
The Minister further pointed out that the temporary economic hardships Nigerians are facing are a “necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management,” a point that Sanusi himself had acknowledged in the past. Idris urged the Emir to put aside personal and partisan interests and focus on the broader goal of national progress.
“Rebuilding Nigeria requires unity, focus, and sacrifice from all stakeholders,” Idris stated, calling on leaders to avoid rhetoric that undermines public trust. He stressed that what is needed now is collaboration among all Nigerians, not distractions that could derail the nation’s recovery efforts.
