What Buhari told me about Tinubu after fuel subsidy removal

The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, has recalled some of his conversations with the late former President Muhammadu Buhari after his retirement, one of which was about President Bola Tinubu’s removal of the petrol subsidy while being sworn in as president.

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Mr Radda spoke to reporters in Daura at the sidelines of the former president’s burial ceremony. The former president died in the United Kingdom on Sunday at the age of 82.

The governor said that after Mr Buhari left office in 2023 and retired to Daura, Katsina State, he interacted with him more often and benefited from his leadership tutelage and patriotism.

“After he left office in 2023, he spent about two years in Daura, Katsina. In that period, I was fortunate to interact with him more frequently, discussing national issues. He was a jovial person who often made me laugh,” Mr Radda said.

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He said his discussion with Mr Buhari revolved around Nigerians’ plights and patriotism.

“He always told me that ‘Your Excellency, go and do your best and be honest as a leader. You cannot satisfy Nigerians; only God can do that.’ He said he suffered a lot, but now he sees himself as a free man with a sense of relief.

“Let me use his words: ‘I pity Bola (President Tinubu) for what he is doing. He is a brave man for removing the fuel subsidy. When I was president, whenever I made an attempt to remove the subsidy, a lot of people would give me too many reasons not to do so. But Bola did it immediately. If he had consulted people, he could not have removed the fuel subsidy now,” Mr Radda recalled a conversation with the late former president.

Mr Radda said that was one of their discussions that he will always remember. He said Mr Buhari’s death has created a vacuum in Katsina State that will be difficult to fill.

Mr Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy on 29 May 2023, the day he succeeded Mr Buhari. He said he decided to do so to grow the economy and promote national development.

He said the Nigerian economy had remained anaemic for decades and taken a dip because of many misalignments that had stunted its growth.