As Nigerians continue to voice their disapproval of Buhari's decision to end fuel subsidy as well as increase the price of electricity in the country, dethroned Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido, has sided with the Buhari administration describing the move as necessary and commendable.
Sanusi who during the famous occupy Nigeria protest in 2012, under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, was also in support of subsidy removal, said Nigerians must come to terms with the reality that government cannot continue to play "Father Christmas" anymore.
Speaking also on Thursday while featuring on The PLATFORM, a programme moderated by the Senior Pastor of Covenant Christian Centre, Poju Oyemade, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria said he wished the government had instituted the recent reforms ten years ago.
Sanusi said, “As a result of COVID-19 and because the economy has been brought to its knees, I think Nigeria has finally come around to being realistic. We were paying billions of dollars in so-called subsidy. It’s a big scam and it has been going on for 30 years.
“In the last few months, this government has started instituting certain reforms that if we continue along those lines, we will begin to see the light. Yes, the removal of fuel subsidy is one. The adjustment in electricity tariff is another.
“These are reforms that need to be pushed. We need to understand that the government does not have the balance sheet to continue with the Father Christmas situation that we have had over the last decade or so.
“I wished we had done this earlier but we are here now and we need to commend the government.”
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari in an attempt to justify the decision of his government to hike prices of fuel and electricity in the country, said in his Independence Day address, that it makes no sense for Nigerians to buy fuel at cheaper prices compared to other oil producing countries in the world.
The cheapest on the list is Saudi Arabia at N168 per litre.
“It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia,” the president said.
“In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions," “Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted, ” he said.