Sanusi accuses Nigerian political elite of treating public office as ‘family business’

Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has criticised Nigeria’s political leadership, accusing the country’s elite of deliberately neglecting national development by treating public office as a personal and family enterprise.

Speaking on Wednesday in Lagos at the 15th anniversary celebration of Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, Sanusi said the actions of many political leaders reflect a self-serving mindset that sidelines the interests of citizens.

According to him, the political class consistently misses — and sometimes intentionally wastes — opportunities to move the country forward because decision-making is centred on personal gain rather than national progress.

“We have done enough damage and maybe we need to stop. And I think this is the point Omobola is making about missed opportunities. Not just missed opportunities, I think sometimes deliberately missed opportunities,” Sanusi said.

He added that for decades, governance in Nigeria has been shaped by leaders who consider public office “about themselves, their families, and people close to them, not about the country or the citizens”.

Sanusi urged Nigerians to demand greater accountability and push for reforms that prioritise national interest over personal ambition, warning that the country cannot progress if leadership continues to be treated as a private inheritance.