Former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, says “Nigeria is living on extra time” and that the country will be in deeper hole by the time President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office in 2023.
 
“To be honest, we are living on extra time. In 2015, we were in a deep hole. In 2023, we will be in an even much deeper hole than in 2015,” Mr Lamido said. 

He warned that “Those struggling to be President, I hope they understand that the problems that they are going to face are multiples of the problems that were faced in 2015.” 

Mr Sanusi, a former central bank governor and leader of the Khalifa of Tijaniyya sect in Nigeria, disclosed this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at an event to commemorate the 80th birthday of Babanla Adinni of Egbaland, Chief Tayo Sowunmi. 

He added that “All of us have to be ready for difficult decisions and if they are taken, we are all going to pay for them.

“But the solution is not for all of us to jump into politics. This country needs good politicians. It needs imams, pastors and bishops who are going to stand up and remind them (politicians) of the fear of God.” 

Under Mr Buhari’s regime, insecurity has increased as bandits, Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, as well as unknown gunmen continue to murder Nigerians and kidnap for ransom across the country. 

With Nigeria having been through two recessions, there has been an increase in economic hardship, poverty, food insecurity, and high rate of unemployment. 

In his 2021 Democracy Day speech, Mr Buhari claimed that, “in the last two years, we lifted 10.5 million people out of poverty – farmers, small-scale traders, artisans, market women and the like.” 

However, barely three days after this claim, the World Bank Nigeria Development Update reported that seven million Nigerians were plunged below poverty line in 2020.