Former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, has praised the former leader for prioritizing the welfare of Nigerians during his administration. Adesina, in a tribute marking Buhari’s 82nd birthday on Tuesday, described him as a true “friend of the masses,” or Ore Mekunu in Yoruba.
Adesina highlighted Buhari’s decision to retain the contentious fuel subsidy throughout his presidency, despite mounting pressures to remove it. According to him, Buhari prioritized the needs of ordinary Nigerians over fiscal reforms that could cause hardship.
“The big elephant in the room was the removal of fuel subsidy. Did you think the government didn’t know the money-guzzling monster had to be slain? It knew,” Adesina remarked.
He explained that Buhari’s consistent argument was centered on fairness: “When oil sold for at least $100 per barrel in the international market, rising even to as high as $140 per barrel, what did the ordinary people gain? Nothing! So why should they be the ones to bear the brunt when oil prices fall?”
Adesina noted that while Buhari might have shared the belief in subsidy removal towards the end of his administration, he refrained from doing so to prevent societal upheaval.
Nearly two years into retirement, Buhari remains popular among the masses, with many still seeking his counsel and support, Adesina said.
The former aide described the ex-president as a leader who consistently placed the welfare of Nigerians at the heart of his policies.
