Former Secretary General Arewa Forum, Anthony Sani calls for Buhari’s return, gives reason

In an interview with Sunday Sun, Mr. Anthony Sani, a respected elder statesman and former Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), provided his insights into Nigeria’s current socio-economic challenges and addressed various political matters. He also called for the return of former president Buhari.

According to Sunday Sun, Mr. Sani began by acknowledging the inherent difficulty for any Nigerian regime to enjoy widespread popularity. He cited the short-lived Murtala regime as a rare exception. He highlighted the economic challenges that President Bola Tinubu inherited, including issues like currency scarcity and fuel shortages. President Tinubu’s response to these challenges involved actions such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the devaluation of the naira. These measures, coupled with external factors like COVID-19, climate change, and the Ukraine conflict, have collectively contributed to increased economic hardship.

However, Mr. Sani commended President Tinubu’s dedication to reversing this economic decline and revitalizing the country’s economy. He emphasized that economic recovery is a continuous and concerted process that requires time and effort. He called on Nigerians to support the president’s initiatives aimed at improving the situation, emphasizing that positive outcomes necessitate ongoing and conscious endeavors.

Mr. Sani also addressed the issue of promised palliatives following the removal of fuel subsidies. He echoed the concerns of economic experts regarding the handling of this situation. He noted that the removal of fuel subsidies was not initially mentioned in the inaugural speech, indicating a lack of comprehensive planning. He expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of providing N8,000 per month for six months to only 12 million people out of Nigeria’s 216 million population, believing it wouldn’t adequately address the widespread hardship. Instead, he proposed an alternative approach: depositing the funds saved from fuel subsidies into a Trust Fund dedicated to enhancing education and healthcare. This, he argued, would bolster Nigeria’s human capital and contribute to overall economic improvement.

Regarding the impact of hardship in Northern Nigeria and the disappointment experienced by some with President Tinubu’s government, Mr. Sani recognized the longstanding challenges of poverty and ignorance in the region. He urged Northern governors to make concerted efforts to reverse these trends through targeted initiatives aimed at human development and improving the quality of life for their constituents.

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