“Where Were You When Buhari Northernised Every Position in Nigeria?” – Mike Ozekhome Challenges Critics of Tinubu

Prominent rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, has criticized former President Muhammadu Buhari for setting a precedent of ethnic favoritism in government appointments, arguing that this pattern may have influenced his successor, President Bola Tinubu. Speaking at a symposium on human rights organized by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in Abuja on Wednesday, December 11, Ozekhome urged Nigerians to reflect on their reactions to similar practices in the past.

Ozekhome addressed recent criticisms accusing President Tinubu of favoring individuals from his Yoruba ethnic group in key government positions. He stated that while such concerns may be valid, they highlight a double standard, as similar behavior under Buhari’s administration was largely overlooked.

“When I hear northerners complain that Tinubu has ‘Yorubanised’ Nigeria, with so many Yorubas in the highest places, I acknowledge they have a point. But I ask, where were you when Buhari, for eight years, literally ‘northernised’ every position in Nigeria? You had to be a northerner or a Muslim,” Ozekhome said.

He recounted his consistent efforts to critique Buhari’s administration during its eight-year tenure, which he described as a period of significant mismanagement. Reflecting on his advocacy, Ozekhome revealed that he wrote numerous articles and even dedicated one of the 50 books he launched on his 67th birthday to examining Buhari’s leadership, titled How Buhari Mismanaged Nigeria.

Ozekhome also lamented the complacency of many Nigerians during Buhari’s administration, attributing it to ethnic loyalty. “Some people said, ‘this is our man,’ and tolerated the situation even if it didn’t benefit them. Once it is no longer ‘our man,’ we suddenly take up arms. No country grows like that,” he said.