3 key issues Sanusi discussed with Tinubu in their closed-door meeting

President Bola Tinubu and the deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi held a closed-door meeting on Thursday, June 15, 2023. 

The purpose of the meeting was not immediately clear to the press but shortly after the meeting, Sanusi in an interview disclosed the main reasons he visited the president. 

According to him, the meeting focused on the economy, the people and the president’s policies since he assumed office on Monday, May 29, 2023. 

Speaking to Arise TV after the meeting, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria said he visited the president to thank him for the steps he has taken so far on the economy and fuel subsidy.

He said he’s happy that the President is putting the economy on course because he has been advocating for subsidy and multiple exchange rate removal.

“I came to thank him for the steps he has taken to put this economy on course, as you know, many of the issues that we have been talking about the subsidy that has caused a haemorrhage on the fiscal (policy), the multiple exchange rate regimes and so on. 

“These are issues that I have personally been talking about for a long time, and I’m happy that on his very first day, he has addressed these issues and the markets are happy. It is important when the government does the right thing for us to give them feedback. It’s not always when they do the wrong thing and you complain, so he has started on such a strong footing as far as the economy is concerned”, he said.

Disclosing the second reason for his visit, the deposed Emir of Kano said he met with the President to discuss insecurity issues in the north and how to address them.

He said he appealed to the President on the case of the 37 herdsmen who were bombed by the Air Force in Nasarawa State, stressing that after the letter he wrote to former President, Muhammadu Buhari on the matter, President Tinubu has promised to look into the issue.

“I’m therefore concerned about the issue of herdsman-farmer clashes and he’s also concerned and we discussed steps that will need to be taken to begin to look at some of those issues. 

“But in particular, I came to appeal to him on the case of the 37 herdsmen who were bombed by the Air Force in Nasarawa State a few months ago, which we wrote a letter to President Buhari on. We have now written a reminder because it’s a matter we do not want to be swept under the carpet. And the President has asked me again to send him that letter, and I’m sure that he will look into the matter”. Sanusi said.

The third major issue discussed at the meeting according to the former CBN Governor was about poverty, girl child education and the problem of out-of-school children especially in the north.

According to him, if the identified problems are not solved in the north, the extreme poverty and insecurity in the region can’t be addressed.

“The third major issue we discussed was the issue of poverty, especially in northern Nigeria, the questions of out-of-school children, girl child education, and his thoughts on the matter. 

“This is a big priority for him and we will continue with the conversation to see how we can help with ideas on how to address these issues because without education in the north and without educating the girl child, we’re not going to have an amelioration of the extreme poverty and insecurity in the North, Sanusi submitted.

Sanusi expressed his support for the President, saying he would always be around to advise and encourage him.