Yesterday, Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, gave a lecture at the 15th meeting of the Joint Planning Board and National Council on Development Planning in Kano, and the Twitter handle of the Kaduna Ministry of Budget live-tweeted his comments. He was quite critical of the Buhari administration’s handling of the economy.

Find the full thread below.

Nigeria must drop the habit of borrowing to pay salaries and service recurrent expenditures ~ Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/iDnmPFsrvL

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

There is nothing happening today that we didn't forecast years ago because all actions have consequences~Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/RRzTNFBcip

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

Industrialisation potentials of Northern Nig was documented by Ahmadu Bello in 1962,54yrs after, nothing to show~SLS pic.twitter.com/IWKpNFs4Xg

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

We created billionaires from Oil subsidies in the past. We are making the same mistake with Forex Subsidies ~ Emir S pic.twitter.com/WA2NvxXdSD

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

As an Emir, I can seat in my garden and make phone calls to access $10M @ N197 per $ then sell it off at nothing less than N300. ~ Emir SLS

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

With just a phone call, I'm making a profit of over a billion naira. That is what people are doing now ~ Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/HP8X0flJaX

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

Any system that allows you sit in your garden & make a billion naira without investing a Kobo is a wrong system ~ Emir Sanusi

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

We created the recession we are in now and I hope the President won't make the mistakes Jonathan made ~ Emir SLS pic.twitter.com/kIm9AK3XWB

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

We are not being sincere when we say we are in a recession because of the fall in oil prices. What happened to other sectors? ~ Emir Sanusi

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

I understand it's painful when we pay for expensive fuel but we must understand no system is perfect ~ Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/6NDlZpk6bY

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

Petroleum subsidy empowers a small group of criminals rather than the poor masses it was meant for ~ Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/Lp0M4VCEim

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

To get out of this recession, the FG must set the FX rate to incentivise capital inflows, catalyse FDI & FDI funding ~ Emir Sanusi

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

The FG must set interest rates at levels that deter capital flight dollarization ~ Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/MM0WgKxeL9

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

The FG must address failure in the power sector value chain starting with the DISCOS ~ Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/wWhL20g7ty

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

The FG must digitise state land registries and streamline relevant legislations ~ Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/tYLnhCAp2B

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

The FG must re-priotize public spending towards investment in human capital ~ Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/HmxcUI0N31

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

Lastly, the FG must protect infant industries specifically labour intensive manufacturing ~ Emir Sanusi pic.twitter.com/1KUjsfE9ud

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

What followed was a Q&A session, and Emir Sanusi continued this line:

I'm a friend of this administration but if they decide to run Nigeria aground, I will become the opposition ~ Emir Sanusi

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

You are not good friends if you sit down with Government officials and don't tell them the truth. I will continue to say the truth~ Emir SLS

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

To answer a question by Muh'd @Dattijo on emergency power to tackle the economy by Buhari, Emir Sanusi replies that he has his reservations

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016

Those who put you in a crisis will want you to bypass due process for their selfish reasons. Most problems are not procurement related ~ SLS

— Planning & Budget Commission. (@KDMobp) August 24, 2016