Don’t Blame Tinubu for the North’s Problems; See who to Blame – Lukman
Salihu Moh. Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has defended President Bola Tinubu against accusations regarding the underdevelopment and challenges in northern Nigeria. Lukman attributed the region’s issues to the previous administration of former President Muhammad Buhari, who, according to him, did not improve the North’s fortunes during his eight-year tenure.
In an open letter addressed to Northern political leaders titled “Explosive North: Open Letter to Northern Politicians,” Lukman outlined the severe conditions in the North, emphasizing the region’s current state of crisis.
“If you want to understand the Hobbesian concept of life being ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,’ look at Northern Nigeria today,” Lukman stated. He described extreme poverty, unemployment, and inequality, and highlighted the dismal state of schools and hospitals. Lukman criticized the ineffective civil service across the region’s nineteen states and lamented the decline of traditional institutions and religious leaders who have strayed from their moral responsibilities. He also pointed out the lack of industries and the significant decline in agriculture due to insecurity.
Lukman further expressed concern over the alarming statistics of out-of-school children and the large number of people living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. He also addressed the pervasive issues of drug abuse, broken homes, and abandoned children, describing the North as a region on the brink of explosion.
The political disunity in the North is unprecedented, Lukman continued, with the quality of leadership deteriorating. Many politicians, once out of office, become marginalized, and those currently in office are at risk of the same fate. He criticized the opportunistic nature of political leadership in the North, where individuals gain power without genuine commitment to solving regional challenges.
Lukman lamented the missed opportunity during Buhari’s tenure, which he referred to as a “golden eight years” from 2015 to 2023. Despite Buhari’s strong national acceptance and the potential for fostering selfless leadership, the North’s situation worsened, with increasing insecurity, poverty, and substance abuse.
Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who secured the presidency with significant support from the North, Lukman argued that Tinubu’s perceived lack of interest in the region’s issues is not his fault. He urged Northern political leaders to refrain from blaming Tinubu and instead address their internal disunity and ineffective leadership.
