Buhari Sabotaged Good Initiatives That Could Have Helped Nigerians – Saraki
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has accused ex-President Muhammadu Buhari of deliberately frustrating initiatives that would have benefited Nigerians.
Speaking at the 2025 Reunion Gala of the King’s College Old Boys Association in Houston over the weekend, Saraki said the legislature under his leadership faced harassment, bullying, and blackmail from the executive arm, which blocked the passage of good laws and policies.
“The legislature under my leadership was silenced, harassed, assaulted, bullied, and blackmailed, and the executive deliberately frustrated the passage of good laws, initiatives and recommendations that would have been highly beneficial to our society,” Saraki said.
He added, “I could have agreed with everything the Presidency under Buhari wanted and cut deals with them all the way. I would have been a good ally.”
Saraki recalled how the Code of Conduct Bureau under Buhari’s administration charged him with 18 counts in 2015, but he was later cleared by the tribunal in 2017.
He criticised Nigerians for being indifferent to the weakening of institutions, saying, “We were like orphans. The elite and ordinary people kept quiet, were nonchalant, and stayed aloof. When I read posts on social media or stories in the traditional media criticising the current National Assembly and praising our tenure, I just shrug my shoulders and feel unconcerned.
“This is a big failure of followership, and it is an enabler for the continuous failure of leadership. These sad developments are indications that our institutions are weak. Instead of building institutions, we are building strong men and women.”
Saraki said many elected officials lack the knowledge to implement effective policies and called for genuine political participation, urging Nigerians, “We should decide that from today, we will no longer keep quiet while our country is being misgoverned. We must always intervene when we see a wrong candidate being fielded, a wrong policy being implemented, or a wrong project being sited.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
