The Federal Government on Thursday dismissed comments by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, regarding the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, stating that the monarch’s endorsement is not required.
This followed remarks made by Sanusi during the 21st memorial lecture of Chief Gani Fawehinmi in Lagos on Wednesday. Sanusi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), declared his unwillingness to assist the Tinubu administration in addressing Nigeria’s economic challenges.
“I have decided not to speak about the economy or the reforms, nor to explain anything regarding them. If I explained, it would only benefit this government, and I don’t want to aid this government. They’re my friends. If they don’t behave like friends, I don’t behave like a friend. So, I watch them being stewed, and they don’t even have people with credibility who can come and explain what they’re doing. But I’m not going to help,” Sanusi said.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, expressed disappointment with Sanusi’s stance, noting that the emir had previously supported key economic policies such as the removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of foreign exchange rates.
“His Highness, given his background in economics, has a unique responsibility to contribute constructively rather than undermine reforms aimed at collective progress because he feels estranged from his ‘friends’ in government,” Idris said.
The minister criticised Sanusi for allowing personal grievances to cloud his judgment, describing it as unbecoming of a traditional ruler of his status.
“The temporary pains currently experienced from these inevitable decisions, as Sanusi himself acknowledged, are a ‘necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management,’ more than anything else,” Idris added.
He called on Sanusi and other esteemed leaders to prioritise the nation’s collective progress over personal interests or partisan sentiments, emphasising the importance of unity in rebuilding Nigeria.
The minister concluded by urging stakeholders to avoid rhetoric that undermines public trust, calling instead for collaboration and sacrifice in tackling Nigeria’s challenges.
Sanusi, who returned as the Emir of Kano last year after being deposed in 2019 by the Abdullahi Ganduje administration, is currently facing a legal challenge to his reinstatement. The case, filed by the deposed 15th emir, Aminu Ado Bayero, has been accompanied by claims that the Federal Government supports Bayero—a claim the FG has denied.
