Elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark stated he would not assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration after only one year in office due to the daunting challenges inherited from its predecessor.
Clark, 97, described the immediate-past administration of Muhammadu Buhari as the worst in Nigeria’s history.
The Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) leader made these remarks in an interview with Saturday Sun in Abuja.
When asked to assess Tinubu’s performance so far, Clark said, “No, I don’t comment on that because I think one year is too early. He met the worst government in Nigeria; that is what he inherited. I told him when they were doing June 12 that there’s nothing to celebrate.
“What did Buhari’s government ever produce? And then because you are APC and you will continue with his programme, with his policy, then you will find it difficult.
“So as far as I’m concerned, it will not be difficult for the President to correct some of the numerous mistakes or misadministration of Buhari.
“So I am saying that, for me, I won’t assess him. He has a lot he is doing now.”
Clark described Tinubu’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy as a “bold step,” noting that former President Goodluck Jonathan attempted it but had to reconsider following public outcry.
However, he said the president should have envisaged the fallouts of subsidy removal and prepared earlier with countermeasures.
“One would have expected that President Tinubu, who had been an administrator, who had been a governor for eight years, who had played politics as a Senator, knew very well that every action he takes, there’ll be consequences.
“So he should have asked himself, if I remove the oil subsidy, what will happen? Will it affect the living standards of the people or not? If he did that homework, he could have prepared, like buying buses, providing every other thing.
“Immediately the announcement is made, they step in to correct whatever consequences that follow,” Clark said.
