A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Josef Onoh, has criticized former President Muhammadu Buhari’s assertion that his administration significantly improved Nigeria’s economy and security, describing his tenure as marked by widespread corruption and insecurity.
Onoh made this statement on Friday in response to Buhari’s remarks that he inherited economic and security challenges from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but successfully addressed them through strategic interventions.
According to Onoh, rather than resolving these issues, Buhari’s administration oversaw economic collapse, escalating insecurity, and systemic corruption, leaving the current government to deal with the consequences.
In his statement, Onoh said, “Nigerians today accuse Tinubu’s administration of being the worst they have experienced without realizing that the President has chosen to silently bear the burden left behind by Buhari. Tinubu is navigating the economic minefields created under Buhari’s leadership, which attempted to block him from becoming president.”
Onoh highlighted the rise in violent deaths during Buhari’s tenure, noting that insecurity worsened under his watch.
“When Buhari assumed office in 2015, the cumulative number of people killed due to insecurity stood at 34,972. By May 2023, this figure had surged to 98,083. In his first term alone, 27,311 people were killed, while his second term saw an even deadlier toll of 35,800.”
He added that Nigeria witnessed unprecedented levels of violence, surpassing the casualties of the Civil War.
“You came into office on the promise of change but ended up changing Nigeria for the worse. Instead of taking responsibility, you continue to blame the PDP for your failures.”
Onoh also cited Nigeria’s ranking in global security indices, saying, “Under Buhari, Nigeria ranked third in the Global Terrorism Index, behind only Afghanistan and Iraq. In the Global Peace Index, Nigeria was ranked 148th out of 163 countries, performing worse than post-war nations like Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Rwanda.”
He further accused Buhari of failing to address ethnic and religious conflicts, stating that “attacks and reprisal killings continued in Kaduna State under his leadership, but Tinubu’s administration has since restored peace to the region.”
On economic performance, Onoh argued that Buhari’s failure to curb insecurity discouraged foreign investments and crippled local businesses.
“Under Buhari, one of West Africa’s largest fish markets in Baga, near the Lake Chad basin, was abandoned due to Boko Haram’s insurgency. Today, under Tinubu, life is gradually returning to that region,” he said.
He also pointed to corruption scandals during Buhari’s tenure, adding, “One of the most remembered legacies of his administration is the overnight rise of a recharge card seller to billionaire status and a Central Bank governor using public funds to campaign for the presidency.”
Onoh concluded by stating that Buhari’s administration set the stage for Nigeria’s economic woes, and the current government is now paying the price.
“Your administration introduced nepotism under the guise of ‘Ranka ya Dede.’ Today, it’s ‘Emilokan,’ tomorrow it could be ‘Igbo Kwenu.’ But what will the next administration’s catchphrase be? Because your eight years in office were truly a Las Vegas of insecurity and corruption.”
