Buhari doesn’t interfere in my govt, says Tinubu

Tamarauemi Ebimini

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday said his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, hasn’t interfered in his administration since he left government in 2023.

“After handing over, you (Buhari) said, ‘I will be far away in Daura but if you need me, contact me. I won’t intrude on whatever you are doing. I won’t interfere. I won’t breathe down on your throat,’” Tinubu said at the unveiling of two books titled: “Working with Buhari (2015 – 2023)” and “Muhammadu Buhari: The Nigerian Legacy – 2015 – 2023 (Vols 1-5), in Abuja.

The book “Working with Buhari” was written by a former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Buhari, Femi Adesina, and reviewed by Shola Oshunkeye, a former CNN Journalist of the Year.

The book “Muhammadu Buhari: The Nigerian Legacy – 2015 – 2023 (Vols 1-5), was reviewed by the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, and a Professor of Political Science, Kabiru Mayo, and edited by Dr Udu Yakubu.

Tinubu said rather than interfere, Buhari has partnered with him to make democracy flourish in the country.

“We’ve partnered to make democracy flourish in Nigeria, thank you.

“Except when I call him (on the phone) to say, ‘Are you living, are you going to the farm?’, you don’t hear from him (Buhari) either to nominate or intrude in the cabinet or complain about issues. Thank you for being who you are,” the President said.

Tinubu also reiterated his commitment to resolving challenges that remained unresolved during the administration of his predecessor, with a promise to stamp out insecurity across the country.

He said though Buhari served the country during a critical time, the former President served with dedication and uncommon zeal.

He added, “President Buhari assumed office at a very difficult period of our national life when the economy was spiralling into recession and Boko Haram had taken over swaths of our territory in North East.  At a point it appeared even Abuja, the seat of government would fall into the hands of Boko Haram with the bombing of the UN Building, Banex Plaza, Nyanya and other locations within the Federal Capital Territory.

“We cannot easily forget how our armed forces battled the Boko Haram terrorists under the leadership of President Buhari to reclaim our territory and push them to the fringes of Lake Chad where they no longer pose an existential threat to our sovereignty.

“I must say the job of securing every inch of our country is yet to be finished. My government will stamp out the remaining vestiges of Boko Haram, Ansaru, banditry and kidnapping gangs. We won’t rest until every agent of darkness is completely rooted out.”