Shehu Sani, a former Nigerian Senator has reacted to a recent comment by president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that Nigeria’s outgoing president, Muhammadu Buhari will be missed on many levels.
Akufo-Addo was speaking as a guest at last week’s launch of two books on Buhari who is set to leave office after eight years with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu set to be sworn in on May 29.
The former lawmaker listed unpalatable statistics of the Buhari-era relative to deaths, displacements and kidnappings to buttress his point that it was not for Akufo-Addo to tell whether or not Buhari will be missed.
His tweet of May 24, 2023 read: “We have over 63 thousand people slaughtered, 3.6 million displaced, 11,536 schools closed, tens of thousands kidnapped for ransoms, and Ghanaian President Akufo Addo is saying West Africa will miss President Buhari for bringing peace. Our tragedies should not be the wish of Ghana.”
We have over 63 thousand people slaughtered,3.6 million displaced,11,536 schools closed,tens of thousands kidnapped for ransoms,and Ghanaian President Akufo Addo is saying West Africa will miss President Buhari for bringing peace.Our tragedies should not be the wish of Ghana.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) May 24, 2023
Akufo-Addo was a guest of honour at the May 19, 2023 launch of two biographies by the former military ruler turned elected democratic president of Africa’s most populous nation.
In comments made at the launch, local media captured Akufo-Addo as saying: “As leaders, we all have our high and low moments, but I have no doubt that posterity will be kind to Muhammadu Buhari,” Akufo-Addo said.
“President Buhari, we will miss you. West Africa, Africa, and indeed, the world will miss your leadership. The leadership of a military ruler turned consummate democrat who was extremely solicitous of Nigeria’s and Africa’s interests and who sought principles in all decisions which he took.
“I’m yet to have a book written about me, let alone author one myself. I have some 19 months to leave office, and I guess I have to take a cue from my senior and hope the books will give about me.”
The two books about Buhari
The books are titled: “State of Repair: How Muhammadu Buhari tried to transform Nigeria for the better” and “The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari”
They were authored by Anthony Goldman, a former journalist and ex-Africa editor of the Financial Times of London; and Abu Ibrahim, former federal lawmaker from his native Katsina State respectively.
