Rita Odafe
Adebayo Shittu, the former Minister of Communications, has criticized those urging President Bola Tinubu to step down due to the country’s worsening economic situation. He labeled them as frustrated political figures thinking illogically.
Shittu emphasized that it is premature to judge Tinubu’s administration, which has been in power for just over a year. He dismissed as misguided the demands for Tinubu to resign based on alleged poor performance.
In an interview with Punch, Shittu expressed his disapproval of the opinions from some quarters suggesting Tinubu’s resignation.
There have been expressions of dissatisfaction from certain Northern politicians towards Tinubu’s leadership. In April, a spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum regretted their support for Tinubu and criticized the escalating security challenges in the region. Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, also joined in the criticism, stating he would withdraw his presidential ambition if Goodluck Jonathan decides to contest in 2027.
Responding to this, Shittu remarked, “All these speculations about the North demanding power after just a year are irrelevant. It is unfair to view Tinubu as a Southern President. Who is Bala Mohammed? His actions seem independent, and he is entitled to his opinions. It doesn’t bother me at all.
“What I observe are numerous frustrated political figures. Their frustration is clouding their judgment, leading to undemocratic and irrational thinking. In a democracy with elections every four years, passing a verdict on leadership within a year or two and advocating for a change in leadership is unacceptable and seditious.
“Furthermore, have Nigeria’s issues emerged recently? These issues have persisted for the past 30 years, spanning successive administrations, including the 16 years of PDP mismanagement. Since Tinubu assumed office, there have been no corruption allegations against him. The past government merely postponed Nigeria’s challenges. I am optimistic that our problems will be addressed within the next year.”
