Former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has warned that the Federal Government’s ongoing economic reforms risk collapsing if Nigerians continue to endure hardship without tangible relief, stressing that public support can only be sustained when policies translate into improved living conditions.
Sani gave the warning while speaking on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese, Ijebu, where he said reforms, no matter how well-intentioned, would fail if citizens are left to absorb their pains without adequate cushioning.
He argued that while policies such as the removal of fuel subsidy were economically inevitable, the government mishandled the human impact by failing to put palliative measures in place before implementing the decision.
“Subsidy was not sustainable for a country of over 230 million people. If we had continued, we would simply be eating our future,” Sani said.
However, he faulted the sequencing of the policy, noting that the hardship it triggered had worsened poverty, unemployment and insecurity.
“You don’t remove subsidy first and start looking for palliatives later. You cushion the people before you introduce the shock,” he said.
The former lawmaker also raised concerns over the utilisation of increased revenues accruing to states since the subsidy removal, noting that many state budgets have risen from hundreds of billions of naira to over one trillion naira without corresponding improvements in citizens’ welfare.
“States are getting more money today than ever before, yet the people are not feeling it. That is the real problem,” he said.
Warning of the dangers of widespread poverty, Sani said social instability often follows when citizens feel abandoned.
“When most people are poor, they have nothing to lose. That is how protests start and societies become unstable,” he added.
Assessing the broader state of governance, Sani said the current administration came into office amid high public expectations but underestimated the depth of Nigeria’s structural challenges.
“Campaigning is different from governing. Many promises are made without fully understanding what is on the ground,” he said.
While acknowledging that the administration had embarked on reforms previous governments avoided, he stressed that painful policies require compassion, fairness and clear communication.
“No president will ever be popular while implementing painful reforms. But people will only endure if they see hope and fairness,” he said.
On insecurity, Sani described the crisis as a long-standing national problem that has cut across successive administrations, from Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua to President Bola Tinubu.
Although he acknowledged some improvements, including reduced student abductions in certain areas and safer highways, he said killings by bandits and terrorists remain a major concern.
“Yes, there is some progress, but the problem is far from solved,” he said, urging the government to deliver visible security gains that would restore dignity to rural communities.
Sani also expressed concern over the continued denial of funds to local governments despite the Supreme Court ruling granting them financial autonomy, describing the situation as a major obstacle to grassroots development.
“What is the point of local government if money never reaches the grassroots?” he asked, adding that proper funding of councils would reduce rural-urban migration.
Commenting on Nigeria–United States relations and allegations by former US President Donald Trump of genocide in Nigeria, Sani dismissed the claims as politically motivated.
“Trump’s statement is not about Nigeria. It is about Trump,” he said, accusing the former US leader of selective morality and political opportunism.
On opposition politics and the emerging African Democratic Congress coalition, Sani said the alliance offered nothing fundamentally new, describing it as a gathering of political elites angry about losing power.
“Nigerians are being asked to choose between those in power today and those who failed yesterday,” he said.
Addressing criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s foreign travels, Sani said scrutiny of presidential trips was not new, but stressed that such journeys must deliver tangible benefits.
“There is nothing wrong with a president travelling, as long as those trips bring investment, power solutions and diplomatic gains,” he said.
He also criticised the current National Assembly, describing it as less assertive than previous ones, particularly the 8th Assembly, which he said demonstrated greater independence from the executive.
Listeners who called into the programme expressed mixed reactions, with some condemning government spending on luxury amid economic hardship, while others urged patience with the reforms.
Responding, Sani said public engagement was vital to democracy, reiterating that reforms would only succeed if they were fair, inclusive and matched by modest conduct from those in power.
“When people are told to make sacrifices and those in power continue to live ostentatious lives, nobody will take reform seriously,” he said.
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