Former House of Representatives member Usman Bugaje criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a tragedy for Nigerians during its first year. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Bugaje argued that Tinubu’s government has failed to solve any problems and has instead created more issues.
Bugaje described Tinubu’s administration as groping in darkness and lamented the absence of metrics to evaluate governance in Nigeria, which prevents leaders from scientifically presenting their achievements. “For citizens and the people who have been in government, clearly the last year has been a tragedy. There is no one problem they have been able to solve,” he said, adding that the administration has only intensified the pressure felt by Nigerians.
Since taking office on May 29, 2023, Bugaje claimed the administration has failed to address a single problem. “If anything, the policies they started with have created far more problems than they found, and in this one year, they are clearly groping in the dark,” he stated. He urged the government to seek help from experienced and knowledgeable individuals, even those outside their party or politics.
Bugaje emphasized the need for Nigeria to develop metrics for evaluating governance, akin to statistical evaluations in the academic world. He highlighted that governments should have a baseline to measure improvements scientifically, such as in agriculture production or security figures.
He pointed out the insecurity plaguing the country, referencing an incident where bandits abducted people in Gwarinpa, Abuja, despite the government’s presence. Bugaje noted, “If Abuja, with all the presence of the government, is not safe, this is a centre shock to many residents of Abuja. Other citizens in Sokoto, Zamfara, Benue, Cross River, and elsewhere are constantly being killed, maimed, and displaced.”
Bugaje criticized the administration’s rhetoric as empty and unaddressed the real issues. He dismissed the government’s claim of providing more funds to states as merely implementing the revenue allocation formula, stating, “You are not doing a favor to anybody. You are simply implementing the revenue allocation formula. It is a law.”