A former Kaduna senator, Shehu Sani, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to learn from the past and avoid repeating the mistakes of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
Appearing as a guest on a television programme at the weekend, Sani specifically highlighted concerns related to cabinet reshuffling.
Sani, known for his activism, criticised Buhari’s eight-year rule, citing nepotism, incompetence, and governance lapses. He emphasised that ministers remained in office throughout both tenures without reshuffling or removal, even when their performance was lacking.
Sani pointed out the retention of service chiefs despite their failures, which he believes hindered the careers of other capable officers.
The activist urged Tinubu to prioritise competency when appointing officials to move the country forward.
He said, “I will advise President Tinubu to be careful not to make the mistakes of President Buhari; and I believe he is experienced enough to understand this. Under President Buhari, you had 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 took 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, whereby people were appointed into office and left there even if they did nothing”.
Following Buhari’s tenure, Tinubu officially assumed office on May 29, 2023. Recently, the President’s cabinet faced severe criticism for its performance amid the ongoing economic challenges.
Notably, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has been without a minister since Betta Edu’s suspension on January 8, 2024.
