Shehu Sani, former Senator representing Kaduna Central District in the 8th National Assembly, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu not to repeat the mistakes of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, especially in the area of his cabinet reshuffle.
Tinubu officially replaced Buhari after his inauguration on May 29, 2023.
However, Sani, an activist, claimed that the former military head of state’s eight-year rule was plagued by nepotism and incompetence, especially in terms of governance, security and economic policies.
The federal lawmaker made the request when he appeared as a guest on Sunday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He said: “I will advise President Tinubu to be careful not to make the mistakes of President Buhari, and I think he has the experience to understand it. “Under President Buhari, there are ministers who were appointed in office for eight years.
“They were with him during the first and second terms, and there was no cabinet reshuffle or dismissal. Even if there is a dismissal, it takes three to four months to replace a minister. That was how the country was governed. Under Buhari, we have seen nepotism at its peak, when people were appointed to public positions and left behind even if they did nothing.”
Sani said: “Service chiefs were kept in office despite their failures, and by retaining them the careers of those behind them were destroyed. For many years, many officers retired to appoint a person. If this country is to move forward, we must address the issue of competence as the qualification for appointment.”
The president’s cabinet has recently come under harsh criticism for failing to live up to expectations despite the country’s current economic difficulties.
Recall that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has been without a minister since Betta Edu was suspended on January 8, 2024.