EMIR SANUSI LAMIDO NAILED IT !!!
1. There are no corruption allegations against me;
2 there was never anything like N3b or even N2b in the Emirate council’s account when I became Emir;
3. The Rolls Royces they talked about were bought by my two friends, Kola Kareem, and Bola Shagaya. This is normal. The late Emir’s limousines were bought by Aminu Dantata, Fernandez, Isiaka Rabiu, Sani Abacha and Ahmed Muazu. Everyone has friends and well-wishers;
4. I am renovating the palace at my expense drawing on my overdraft with First Bank and liquidating assets and I don’t mind being paid over a long period. And if I am not paid back by the Government, it is still fine because the decision to use personal resources was mine;
5. Now, these famous photos of my “romancing” a woman in public.
6. First, this was a public event and it could have been anyone and it wouldn’t matter in any way. But as it happened, this lady is called Maryam. Her grandmother, Fulani Halin is the daughter of late Emir, Bayero and still lives in the palace. She is my cousin and has always loved photos;
7. The second picture the SA posted was this one. This woman is Maryam Lamido Sanusi nee Maitama. She’s my cousin and my second wife. We have been married for 25 years and she is the mother of six of my twelve children. The photo was taken many years ago when I took her to Mauritius and this was on a valentine’s day. Okay, I am sorry if Northern conservative society has a problem with a man romancing his wife on a beach and embarrassed that a private family picture is online but this is not a crime;
8. Sarauta ba abinda ya fi ta dadi. Ka zauna a gida a busa algaita da tambari a zo a gaishe ka. Watakila ma a baka gaisuwa. Support and praise every Government and avoid causing them offense. I am thinking, maybe, the biggest problem i have is that I believed people actually expect more from Sarakunan su. Maybe, they don’t. Time for reflection. Let’s all siddon look and watch the North be destroyed. Emirs should not talk;
9. Kola Kareem, the MD of Costain and Shoreline is an old friend of mine right from my banking days. Bola Shagaya was my classmate in SBS (1977) and in Economics class (1978-1981) in ABU, Zaria. These were their contributions to me. They asked what can we do and I said ‘buy me new cars’. The limos here are all antique and dead;
10. The only sad thing about all this nonsense is that it was posted by an SA to the Governor. He did not even try to be smart and assigned someone to do it;
11. And what is all the noise about? I never insulted Northern people. I said the poverty levels in the north are among the highest in the world. How does that become insulting people? I also said it is fine to build light rails but, please, let the private sector do it. And don’t borrow N800b to build N10km of urban rail. I did not abuse anyone or call any name or insult anyone. I said the FG is spending 66% of its revenue on interest payment quoting the IMF article IV. And when you are in a debt hole this big, you don’t dig. States have just been bailed out of debt by CBN. They should not be pilling more debt for future generations. Their resources should be for education and health. Where in this did I insult either politicians or the people?
I have reflected over and over on my speech and I still don’t see what I said that is so wrong and offensive. I didn’t say the North cannot survive as a country. After all, Niger Republic is there with some help from Paris. I didn’t say that the North in the past had no glory. I know it has a rich history. I didn’t say the North cannot be rich and better. In fact, I think it can and it is a disgrace we are where we are.”
