A chieftain of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has said the day is quite too young to begin to applaud President Bola Tinubu for the steps taken in the last one month in office.
The Arewa elder affirmed that, he is very sure no government in the history of Nigeria will be as worst as the one led by former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2023.
The chieftain expressed his opinion in an interview with one of Nigeria’s leading newspaper, Saturday Vanguard, in which he compared the one month of former president Buhari’s government in 2015 and that of President Tinubu now.
He said there are some striking similarities as he could remember when former President removed the service chiefs and ordered the relocation of military chiefs to Borno State, which led to instant successes in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorists, and what later happened in the course of his government leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
He said Nigerians were awoken with hope and high expectations by the president’s initial actions and the trust that he was going to defeat corruption and insecurity, as well as repositioning of the economy on the pathway of progress and development, but that wasn’t to be eventually. According to him, him, he said Buhari disappointed everyone.
Baba-Ahmed said he isn’t impressed yet with the decisions decisions President Tinubu has taken in the area of economy, anti-corruption efforts and replacement of service chiefs, even though they are righ steps in the right direction. He emphasized that in the fullness of time a lot will show and the quality of leadership can not be hidden.
In his words: “No, I won’t. Eight years ago when President Buhari came, he cleared all checkpoints, removed Service Chiefs, and ordered the military to relocate to Borno, then Boko Haram was chased and limited substantially.
“These were greeted by the same euphoria. There was enthusiasm that he would fight corruption, insecurity, and a bad economy.
“But look at where we are now after eight years, we are worse than when he came in. Certainly, the entire country had not been in the situation before. So, forgive me if the Northern Elders Forum has a different perspective on the euphoria as a result of the tentative action or salvo being released by President Tinubu against the economy, corruption and service chiefs, and others. I will rather exercise some reservations.”
Though he commended Tinubu for starting with some policy decisions, Baba-Ahmed cautioned the President to be careful and not rush into implementing policies just because he wanted to be different from his predecessor.
He emphasised the need for Tinubu to be different from Buhari and ensure that important issues are addressed with courage and sensitivity.
“It is good he is starting with some policies, but he has to be very careful, he should not rush into putting in policies just because he wants to be different from Buhari. Although by all means, any worst government will be better than Buhari’s government of misrule, indifference, and incompetence.
“I am sorry if I don’t share your enthusiasm (about Tinubu). I will rather advise him to be different from Buhari, and address those issues that needed to be addressed with courage and sensitivity. Buhari had lowered the bar of governance and lowered our status of existence; insecurity and poverty are more pronounced,” he told
Additional Source – Saturday Vanguard
 and its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has said the day is quite too young to begin to applaud President Bola Tinubu for the steps taken in the last one month in office.){kind=link}