- He highlighted these issues during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today
Former Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central District in the 8th National Assembly, has called on President Bola Tinubu to avoid repeating the mistakes made by his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, particularly in the area of cabinet management.
After officially taking over from Buhari on May 29, 2023, President Tinubu faces scrutiny regarding his cabinet choices.
Sani, a well-known activist, recently highlighted these issues during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Sani critiqued Buhari’s administration, stating, “The eight-year tenure of the former military Head of State was fraught with nepotism and incompetence, especially in terms of governance, security, and economic policies.”
He said, “I will advise President Tinubu to be careful not to make the mistakes of President Buhari, and I believe he is experienced to understand this. Under President Buhari, you have ministers who were appointed into office for the whole of eight years.
“They were with him for the first tenure and the second tenure, and there was no cabinet reshuffle, no removal. Even if there was a removal, it takes three to four months to replace a minister. That was the way the country was governed. Under Buhari, we have seen nepotism at its peak where people were appointed into office and left there even if they did nothing.”
“Service chiefs were retained in office despite their failures, and by retaining them, you destroyed the careers of those behind them. For many years, many officers were retired to appoint one person. If this country has to move forward, we must treat the issue of competency as the qualification for appointment.”
The former senator’s comments come amid growing criticism of President Tinubu’s cabinet, which has been accused of not meeting expectations during a period of significant economic hardship.
Notably, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has been without a minister since Betta Edu was suspended on January 8, 2024.