“He had the power to act, but chose silence and we even when it was dangerous.”
These were the piercing words of Salihu Lukman, former APC vice chairman, as he laid bare what he described as President Muhammadu Buhari’s greatest failure.
In a rare and blisteringly honest assessment of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s time in office, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has said the ex-leader’s tendency to tolerate incompetence and wrongdoing within his government ultimately undermined his legacy and weakened the party.
Speaking at a public policy dialogue in Abuja on Monday, Lukman didn’t mince words: “President Buhari tolerated everybody. People who had no business holding public office were allowed to remain, sometimes even rewarded, while the nation suffered. That was his weakness the inability to make tough decisions when they mattered most.”
A Dangerous Loyalty
Lukman, a long-time policy advocate and political strategist, pointed to Buhari’s pattern of retaining officials accused of corruption or underperformance as a consistent failure throughout his eight-year rule. According to him, this inaction sent the wrong message to both government officials and the Nigerian public.
“He believed in loyalty to a fault,” Lukman explained. “But when loyalty becomes a shield for incompetence, it turns into betrayal not of the person, but of the people and the constitution.”
While Lukman acknowledged Buhari’s personal integrity and his commitment to national stability, he emphasized that leadership demanded more than good intentions. “There’s a difference between being honest and being effective. Buhari had the former, but too often lacked the latter.”
APC in Disarray
The former vice chair’s remarks arrive amid growing tension within the APC. Since Buhari left office in 2023, the party has been battling internal divisions, public distrust, and allegations of elite impunity many of which trace their roots back to decisions made during his administration.
According to Lukman, the problems facing the APC today are not coincidental. “We are living in the consequences of avoidable silence,” he said. “When party members were openly sabotaging government reforms, nothing was done. When ministers failed their portfolios, they stayed. That kind of tolerance creates decay.”
The Legacy Question
Though Buhari continues to command a loyal following among segments of the Nigerian electorate particularly in the North Lukman believes history will take a harsher view. “He was given enormous goodwill and unprecedented power, but in the end, he hesitated. The country needed a president; sometimes what it got was a bystander.”
When asked what the APC should learn from Buhari’s administration, Lukman was direct: “Accountability must never be sacrificed for political convenience. The next generation of leaders must be prepared to act even when it is uncomfortable.”
A Divided Party, A Warning for the Future
Lukman’s remarks may signal a growing wave of intra-party reckoning, especially as the APC looks ahead to its national convention and strategizes for 2027. Party insiders say Lukman still commands respect among reform-minded members who are increasingly vocal about the need to reset the APC’s direction. “Criticizing Buhari is not betrayal,” Lukman added. “It is a necessary step if we want to move from being a ruling party to a governing one.”
As Nigeria continues to grapple with economic hardship, rising insecurity, and institutional distrust, Lukman’s words carry a stark message: silence in the face of dysfunction may be remembered as the greatest betrayal of all.
