Dikko Radda, governor of Katsina state, says former President Muhammadu Buhari told him that President Bola Tinubu was a strong man for removing petrol subsidy.
During his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy — a decision that triggered a sharp rise in the cost of living and pushed inflation to record highs.
Reflecting on Buhari’s reaction to Tinubu’s move, Dikko recalled the late president calling Tinubu a “strong man” during one of their conversations.
TheCable translated Dikko’s comments in an interview he had with DCL Hausa, on Monday.
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“After he completed his tenure he stayed in Daura, Katsina state, for almost two years,” the governor said.
“We spoke together whenever I visited him. So, with this opportunity I got to meet him one on one and I benefited a lot.
“He once told me ‘I pity Bola Ahmed Tinubu’. He also told me that ‘Bola Tinubu is a strong man for removing the oil subsidy. I tried to but people said this and that — it never happened — but Bola didn’t need anyone’s opinion. He removed it. If he asked for suggestions and advice, he might not have also removed it.'”
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Dikko described Buhari as a president “for the poor” — a sentiment that echoed throughout his presidency, particularly in his decision to retain the petrol subsidy.
“Here in Katsina state, we lost a strong man. We don’t know how we will get his replacement,” the governor said.
“He was very friendly.
“He always told me: ‘Your excellency keep doing what you can but it’s only God that can change Nigeria’.
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“He said ‘I suffered, but now I am free. I pity Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he’s doing'”.
Unlike most of his counterparts who have remained vocal in political affairs and active on the public stage, Buhari’s post-presidency was marked by a quiet life in Daura and later by extended stay at a London clinic, where he died on Sunday after a prolonged illness.
