A former lawmaker and human rights crusader, Senator Shehu Sani, has issued a harsh caution to President Bola Tinubu, asking him to avoid the pitfalls of ethnic favouritism in administration.
Speaking on recent accusations made at the Tinubu-led government, Sani said this during a live broadcast on Channels TV’s “Politics Today” on Thursday.
He questioned why many voices remained silent during what he described as Buhari’s period of tremendous insecurity and nepotism.
He advised Tinubu to avoid the same tendencies toward favoritism that have characterized previous administrations.
Accordingly, President Asiwaju ought to exercise extreme caution as well. Given that it has been in African political geography, he shouldn’t cross that border. So persons who find themselves in power should regard it as an opportunity to serve, not as all those who have conquered and as such have to please their people.”
“If you are going to talk about this government, I think you ask yourself, Where are we coming from? Why didn’t he say anything? We saw the worst kind of insecurity under the Buhari government, according to Sani, if you’re talking about killings, which is insecurity.He noted that despite present problems, especially in the areas of insecurity in sections of the country such as Plateau and Benue states, there has been noticeable improvement compared to the previous administration.
“I do not speak for the government. When last did you hear of any school in northern Nigeria that has been attacked as fears were kidnapped? What do we have? From Kaduna to Abuja, when last did you hear there were attacks on kidnappings, it doesn’t happen. It does not mean that the nation is safe with what is happening in in plateau and Benue,” he said. “But comparatively, we have moved away from the past. We have not reached where we are.”
Turning to the issue of federal appointments and accusations of favouritism under Tinubu, Sani pointed to what he described as a clear case of nepotism during Buhari’s presidency.
“In economic terms, what happened? What happened under the Buhari regime what was the profile of nepotism at that time? About 30 federal appointments were given to people of Katsina state that time and 50 board members,” he said.
He cautioned against using tribal or ethnic affiliations to justify criticisms only when power shifts hands.
“Two wrongs do not make a right. But let us know that when nepotism favoured a part of the country, you were silent, and now you raise it up because you have an issue with this government.”
Sani emphasized the importance of consistency in moral and political critique, especially among those who now speak up against the administration.“I will appreciate the morality of your position if I can hear your voice, when your own man from your tribe, from your ethnic group and from your own tribal identity, while perpetrating that evil attitude against you. And when you keep quiet when it favoured you, and now you speak out when it doesn’t favour you, it means you have other attacking.”
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