Former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has advised President Bola Tinubu to resign his position as petroleum minister and appoint someone else.
Sanusi gave the charge in Abuja at the opening of the 2023 Bank Directors’ Summit with the theme: “Emerging Issues: Navigating the Complex Balance Between Regulation and Compliance”, which was organised by the Bank Directors Association of Nigeria (BDAN).
Politics Nigeria reports that President Tinubu had adopted his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari’s style of heading the petroleum ministry since he assumed office in May 2024.
But Sanusi, who is also the 14th Emir of Kano, argued that appointing a substantive minister of petroleum would help check the excesses of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
“By the way, let me advise you that the idea of the president becoming a petroleum minister is not a good one,” Sanusi declared.
“The last president [Buhari] was the minister of petroleum for eight years. When I was governor of the Central Bank, we had a minister of petroleum, so when I talked about the NNPCL, I could attack Diezani Madueke.
“Now, nobody can talk about petroleum because for eight years, if you talk, you have been attacking the president. We need that buffer; somebody has to be there. So, a minister who is held accountable by Nigerians has to be there,” he said.
With due respect sir, people will say why don’t you give such advice when Buhari was there
In my own opinion, let him be there, finish, and go.
It is surprising that things are not changing fast enough. The advice is 100% wise and better for the nation. Dangote lamented & begged for crude oil to get into his refinery probably bcos Dangote supported Atiku Abubakar during d elections. But it is not to our national advantage to starve his refinery of crude oil in a political pay back scenario. The masses are dying, wallowing in abject poverty. N15bn is to b spent on shettima’s renovations, N10bn on d 1st lady’s. 380 SUVs bought at N160M each for polithieves. The same thieves are against a motion ti make WACE/JAMB free for children of d poor masses. Costs of governance is too expensive. Wastage & spillage of public funds here & there. What sense does it make or what advantages accrue as BAT hold to d office of minister of Petroleum? This government is a scam. Rice is N65k per 50kg bag. A liter of petrol is N600. You can’t put money in d banks. No employment.