South-South leader Edwin Clark has scrutinized the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria, asserting that his administration regressed the country by five decades.
In a statement released on Thursday, the elder statesman contended that the Buhari administration was marked by abysmal failure, lack of direction, heightened insecurity, and economic collapse.
Clark’s remarks were prompted by the launch of a book titled “Working with Buhari: Reflections of A Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023)” by Buhari’s former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina. The book was presented alongside five volumes of another book titled “Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Legacy, 2015-2023.”
The South-South leader criticized Buhari’s self-praise during the book launch, highlighting the disparity between the former president’s portrayal of his achievements and the majority of Nigerians’ assessment of his tenure.
“To most of us as Nigerians, Muhammadu Buhari failed abysmally as President. His administration was full of insecurity, economic collapse, injustice, religious bigotry, and lack of direction. The eight years of his administration plunged Nigeria and Nigerians five decades backward,” he remarked.
Clark challenged the authenticity of Buhari’s claim to be a leader for all, asserting, “He belongs to some people but not the entire Nigeria.”
Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, shared his insights on governance in Nigeria during an interview on Arise TV on Friday morning. Agbakoba commended Nigerians for their patience since 1960 but urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritize actions that contribute to the well-being of the populace.
“Nigerians are the easiest people to govern,” he said. Agbakoba emphasized the people’s fundamental desire for happiness and suggested reducing the price of essential commodities, such as a bag of rice, from ₦60,000 to ₦6,000.
Expressing concern about decision-making in Abuja, Agbakoba criticized the national assembly for formulating rules that do not align with the citizens’ needs. He urged Tinubu to confront and address challenges emanating from Abuja to ensure the happiness of Nigerians.
Agbakoba delved into the topic of the Nigerian constitution, advocating for inviting relevant stakeholders to Abuja to deliberate on a new constitution. He proposed that the concentration of power in Abuja, without sufficient input from diverse perspectives, is a key issue and suggested involving stakeholders to expedite the consensus on a new constitution within a week if adopted by the National Assembly.
