Former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritize competence in his appointments, warning him against repeating the mistakes of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Eighth National Assembly, criticized Buhari’s administration for nepotism and retaining underperforming ministers and service chiefs, which led to failures in key areas like security, economy, education, and healthcare.
“I will advise President Tinubu to be careful not to make the mistakes of Ex-President Buhari,” Sani said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics. “If he wants results, he must treat competency as the qualification for appointment. The country needs people who can deliver, not those who are appointed based on personal relationships or ethnicity.”
Sani noted that during Buhari’s eight-year administration, nepotism was rampant, and incompetent individuals were retained in office despite their failures.
“Under President Buhari, you have ministers that 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,” he said.
Sani also criticized Tinubu’s recent appointments, which have been criticized as lopsided. “Some of the appointments are not acceptable,” he said. “Some of the people appointed have been accused of corruption and incompetence. This is not a good start for a government that promised to tackle corruption and restore the economy.”
Furthermore, Sani condemned the recent suicide bombings in Borno State and the persistent issues of terrorism, banditry, illegal mining, and kidnapping-for-ransom in the north.
“The North needs to do some soul-searching,” he said. “If you want power, you should have an agenda, you should have policies; you should know problems and solutions to problems. We need to move beyond mere political power and focus on addressing the region’s underdevelopment and challenges.”
Sani’s comments come as President Tinubu faces criticism for his appointments and his handling of the country’s security challenges. The president has promised to tackle corruption and restore Nigeria’s economy, but his appointments have raised concerns about his commitment to these promises.
Sani’s warning to President Tinubu is a timely one, as the country faces numerous challenges that require competent and effective leadership. As the president navigates the complex landscape of Nigerian politics, he would do well to heed Sani’s advice and prioritize competence in his appointments.
