Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State shared details of his conversations with the late former President Muhammadu Buhari following his retirement, including a discussion on President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove petrol subsidy at the start of his administration.
While addressing reporters at the late president’s burial in Daura, Radda recounted his interactions with Buhari after he left office in 2023. He described gaining insights from Buhari’s leadership and patriotic values during this period.
He said that once Buhari returned to Daura after completing his term in 2023, they were able to engage more frequently, which allowed him to benefit from the former president’s wisdom and humor.
Radda mentioned that their conversations often focused on the challenges facing Nigerians and national service.
He shared that Buhari once told him, Your Excellency, go and do your best and be honest as a leader. You cannot satisfy Nigerians; only God can do that. He added that Buhari often spoke about the burdens he faced in office but felt relieved after retirement.
According to Radda, Buhari also said, 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.
Radda emphasized that this was one of the conversations with Buhari that will stay with him. He said Buhari’s passing has left a significant void in Katsina State that will be difficult to fill.
President Tinubu ended the petrol subsidy on 29 May 2023, the day he assumed office after Buhari. He said the move was necessary to support economic growth and advance national progress.
He also stated that the Nigerian economy had long been underperforming due to various structural issues that hindered its development.
