Shehu Sani, a former senator representing Kaduna Central, has said the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, would have survived suspension under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sani, a one-time member of the Senate, said in an interview on Trust Radio, stating that if the public outcry calling for Dr Edu’s suspension had occurred during the Buhari administration, “it would likely be disregarded and fallen on deaf ears.”
Commending President Bola Tinubu for what he described as taking decisive action in suspending Dr Edu and Shehu, Sani said the move reflects the administration’s responsiveness to public appeals.
“Let me tell you, Tinubu is not Buhari. In 2011, lives were lost due to people’s devotion and optimism for Buhari, but he didn’t do as expected. His significant error lies in not thoroughly scrutinizing the individuals he appointed to positions, which does not align with effective leadership.”
“95 percent of his (Buhari’s) executive council served for eight years, seemingly as if they were the only individuals known to him nationwide. He didn’t find replacements, particularly when it became evident that they did not meet expectations.”
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He described it as unfortunate that the former administration of Buhari, which criticized the past government for corruption, is now surrounded by corruption allegations.
“During his presidency, when you report misconduct, he will just assure you of a proper investigation, but from there, nothing will come out of it,” Sani said, adding, “But look at what Tinubu did in suspending Betta Edu despite all her contributions to his politics as APC woman leader before the election. This demonstrates his willingness to take action against wrongdoing.”