Ex-Buhari’s Minister Knocks Tinubu’s Govt, Says Administration Operates Like a Cartel
- Former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has accused President Tinubu’s administration of operating like a cartel
- He criticised the removal of fuel subsidy alongside government spending on luxury and infrastructure he described as unnecessary
- Nwajiuba announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)
Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
Former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has launched a scathing criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, accusing the government of operating in a manner similar to a cartel.
Speaking on Arise TV on Thursday, Nwajiuba criticised key policy decisions of the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and subsequent government spending priorities.
Source: Twitter
Nwajiuba said the current leadership style of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reflects what he described as “cartel behaviour,” marked by incompetence and consolidation of political power to control national resources.
He stressed that his comments were not focused on allegations of corruption but on what he described as a breakdown in governance capacity.
He said:
“Who removes subsidy today and the next morning takes a loan to buy a yacht, renovate a vice-presidential house that is not lived in, travel abroad? This is not government. This is cartel behaviour"
“I’m not talking about thievery. I’m talking about gross incompetence,”
Nwajiuba added that the country was being poorly managed following major economic and policy changes.
2027 presidency: Nwajiuba declares ambition
The former minister also announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Explaining his decision, he said the party and its coalition partners were now ready to challenge the ruling party.
“I declared to run because we’ve come into 2026, the ADC is ready, the coalition has come into the ADC and the party is now set,” he said.
According to him, the ADC plans to build grassroots structures and mobilise Nigerians who are dissatisfied with the current state of governance.
“This is the time to remind all of our supporters and people who want a change in this madness called governance to come with their entire team,” he added.
Responding to claims that the opposition is recycling familiar political faces, Nwajiuba said the ADC is seeking a balance of experience, education, and youthful energy.
Source: Facebook
‘I’m not an activist, I’m a politician’
While dismissing the idea of entrenched political heavyweights in the party, he acknowledged the presence of prominent political figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, and Nasir El-Rufai.
“I don’t want to break through the field,” Nwajiuba said. “I want to bring in more substance, more younger persons. The future belongs to us.”
Nwajiuba said his ambition is driven by a desire to improve governance outcomes rather than political activism.
“I’m not a political activist. I’m a politician. We do this to run a government and make people’s lives work better,” he said.
El-Rufai berates Tinubu's govt
Legit.ng earlier reported that former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has criticised what he described as the growing culture of unlawful detention in Nigeria, warning that the practice undermines democracy and erodes public trust in government.
El-Rufai spoke on Thursday at the 23rd Annual Daily Trust Dialogue held at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja, where leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors gathered to discuss governance and national development.
Source: Legit.ng
