UPDATED: Osinbajo in crucial close door meeting with Okorocha, Sanusi

Professor Yemi Osinbajo - the acting president of Nigeria, on Wednesday, February 8, met with Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Both of them met behind closed doors.

BREAKING: Osinbajo in crucial close door meeting with Okorocha, Sanusi

Vanguard reports that when approached by the State House Correspondent to speak on his mission to the Villa, Sanusi however declined saying simply “you can just report that I came to the Villa.”

It will be recalled that Sanusi had been very critical of President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies one of which was the decision to borrow $30 billion from external sources.

He had also consistently spoken out on the illiteracy of Northern Nigeria, asking the stakeholders to convert mosques to schools.

Also, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State was seen leaving the office of the Acting President. He also didn’t speak with Reporters.

In a similar vein, the Emir of Kano, yesterday, urged the elite to wake up to their leadership roles.

He said there is failure in some sectors because of the inability of the leaders to set their priorities right.

The Emir also said those in position of authority should focus on providing education, healthcare for the people instead of dreaming of owning runways and having mega cities.

According to The Nation, the Emir spoke in Abuja yesterday when Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello was given an award by Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris as the Most Security-Conscious Governor in Nigeria.

The emir said: “My advice to His Excellency is to remind him that to whom much is given, much is expected. For all of us in positions of authority, whether governor, emir, police commissioner, the president, chairman of local government; we must remember that over 170 million Nigerians were created by God and when God chose us and put us in these positions, it is not because he does not love those not given the positions.

“If there is anything that has destroyed this country, it is people thinking that offices are for themselves and their families but it is not. We were given offices for those who are not in office; we were given office not to sleep so that they may sleep. We were given office so that you can go hungry so that they may eat.

“You were given office so that you stay awake fearful of what may happen to them so that they may sleep in peace. People who think that they are in office to enjoy, to have sound sleep, to have a comfortable life are the worst leaders ever. So, I say to the governor and myself and to all of us who have a responsibility, the prophet of Islam has one Hadith about leadership that is very frightening.

“He says, it is a trust and on the Day of Judgment, it is a source of humiliation and regret. Everyone must remember that there would be a day that we will account for these privileges. On that day, if you did not serve those people, you would regret and wish that you never had that office.”

The Emir also said there is need to address what he described as silent violence like poverty, hunger, lack of healthcare and other social amenities..

On security he said: “How would you blow up mosques because you want to establish an Islamic system?

In Southern Kaduna, we have people who lived together for decades and centuries killing each other because they have constructed fake identities – settler and indigene – and because of genuine lack of enforcement of the law.

Every time there is crisis in Southern Kaduna, people die, there is a tribunal, there is a report, culprits are identified and nothing happens.

So, these small instances utterly lead to conflagration and therefore, it is important to address them at every point in time.”