He said public officers should make the sacrifice, especially at this time of economic crises occasioned by global fall in oil price.
Saliu, made the call in his paper titled: ‘Sardauna and Contemporary Politics in Nigeria: What Lessons For Our Leaders?’ delivered at the Kwara 2015 GAMJI Day in Ilorin.
He said for Nigerian leaders to demonstrate that they cherish the ideals of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, they should begin to think big and act like him in the interest of the masses and the state.
“Nigerian politicians should slash their jumbo salaries and allowances in honour of late Sardauna of Sokoto.
“30 per cent of our budget is on recurrent expenditure and twenty something on capital, how do we develop?
“Recently, legislators in Burkina Faso and Kenya slashed their salaries, we are waiting for the time Nigerian politicians will also slash their own salaries,” he said.
Saliu also challenged Nigerian leaders, particularly those from the North to rise to the challenge of restoring the economy of the region.
The university don lamented that the North today parades the “worst economic statistics despite holding on to power for several years because of greed.”
On the problem of insurgency in the region, Saliu tasked the North to see the challenge of stemming the tide as their primary responsibility.
