Former Kaduna legislator Shehu Sani cautioned President Tinubu against emulating the appointment practices of ex-president Buhari.
Sani advised Tinubu to prioritize skill and ability when selecting personnel, as this is crucial for achieving results. According to Vanguard News, Sani noted that during Buhari's 8-year tenure, nepotism was rampant even as performance lagged in vital areas like security, the economy, education, and healthcare.
He said, “I will advise President Tinubu to be careful not to make the mistakes of President Buhari, and I believe he is experienced to understand this.
“Under Presdient 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.''
Sani warned Tinubu against keeping ministers and military chiefs in office for extended periods without replacing them, as Buhari had done. Sani stated that for Nigeria's progress, competence should be the primary basis for making appointments. He also commented that the underdevelopment in northern Nigeria exemplifies the failure of political leaders from the region to leverage their authority to benefit the populace.
He added, “Under Buhari, we have seen nepotism at its peak where people were appointed into office and left there even if they did nothing.
“Service chiefs were retained in office despite their failures, and by retaining them, you destroyed the careers of those behind them. For many years, many officers were retired to appoint one person.”
“If this country has to move forward, we must treat the issue of competency as the qualification for appointment.”