Shehu Sani, a former federal lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Eighth National Assembly, has warned President Bola Tinubu not to make the same mistake as his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
He advised the president to prioritize competence in his appointments.
Sani said this during an interview with Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.
The former lawmaker claimed that during Buhari’s eight-year administration between May 2015 and May 2023, nepotism was at its peak.
Sani said: “I will advise President Tinubu to be careful not to make the same mistakes as President Buhari, and I believe he has the experience to understand that.
“Under President Buhari, there are ministers who were appointed to office for eight years; they were with him for the first and second term, and there was no cabinet reshuffle or dismissal. Even if there was a dismissal, it takes three to four months to replace a minister. That was how the country was run.
“Under Buhari, we have seen nepotism at its peak, where people were appointed to public offices and abandoned even if they did nothing.
“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 were removed to appoint a single person.”
He said if Tinubu is interested in results, competition should be his motto.
“If this country is to move forward, we must address the issue of competence as a qualification for appointment.” he said.
