NewStats: 3,260,970 , 8,172,923 topics. Date: Wednesday, 28 May 2025 at 04:09 AM 4e6270

Islamic scholar, political activist, and civil society leader, Dr Usman Bugaje, has acknowledged THISDAY newspaper’s right to make the selection and declare President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Man of the Year but expressed doubts about the criteria used, asserting that many Nigerians associate Tinubu’s presidency with suffering.

“I used to know him as a man of ideas,” Bugaje said, recalling his time as National Secretary of the Action Congress (AC). “But I don’t see the ideas, I don’t see the dynamism, I don’t see the progressiveness. I see somebody who is almost turning into a monarch.”

Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Thursday, Dr Usman Bugaje raised concerns about governance, economic policies, and Nigeria’s political culture.

Bugaje criticised Tinubu’s approach to governance, particularly focusing on the controversial tax reform bill, which he described as improperly introduced and lacking transparency.

“The idea to smuggle things and come in through the back door creates a lot of suspicion,” Bugaje explained. He further stressed that governance in the 21st century should be more structured and scientific, focusing on purpose, process, and performance—elements he argued were missing in current policies.

Highlighting broader concerns, Bugaje identified three key governance failures that he believed needed urgent attention: a lack of vision among political leaders, an absence of proper processes in policy making, and a political culture that contradicts principles of ability, transparency, and the rule of law.

“Leaders fail to understand Nigeria’s challenges,” he remarked, emphasising the need for policies grounded in reality.

On the tax reform bill, Bugaje criticised the bill’s lack of clear definitions for contentious like “attribution” and “derivation,” warning that such ambiguities could lead to conflicts.

“This bill has no relevance to the current economic crisis… We need a process that takes cognisance of the economy we’re in and the challenges we face,” Bugaje asserted.

While he acknowledged the bill’s attempt to address inequalities, he argued that it did little to tackle Nigeria’s broader economic realities or promote sustainable growth.

Bugaje also highlighted the security situation in the country, pointing to emerging threats like urban banditry, which he attributed to rising unemployment. He emphasised the need for a holistic approach to improving security in order to stabilise production and ensure economic recovery.

“I feel this bill has no relevance to the current economic crisis that this country is going through and I would rather we start a whole process that takes cognisance of the kind of economy we are in, the challenges our economy is facing and therefore craft something that can gradually pick the economy up and will facilitate production in a way that will make this economy recover,” he stated.

Bugaje dismissed the notion that the 1999 Constitution inherently fosters a monarchical style of governance. Instead, he blamed weak institutions, particularly the National Assembly, for failing to check executive excesses.

“We don’t have a National Assembly; we have people just out there to make money, they have no idea of what their job is and they just go to these poor constituencies and spread rice and palm oil and nobody talks about that, if we continue that way, some day we will just wake up to a riot. Yes we need to address those weaknesses in our constitution but even as it is in the moment, we are not operating it properly,” he remarked, stressing the need for stronger oversight to ensure ability and prevent abuse of power.

Bugaje also called for the withdrawal of the tax reform bill in order to allow for broader consultations, describing the anticipated public hearings as a necessary but insufficient step.

“Why do we have to fight over things that should ideally benefit the country? Why do we have to create a battlefield in the public hearing of the national assembly, there are better ways to do this thing.” he remarked, urging for a more collaborative and less contentious approach to policy reform.

Bugaje called for collective action to address the nation’s challenges, emphasising Nigeria’s potential as Africa’s largest population and a key global player.

“This country is of great promise, it’s a country of the largest population in Africa. In 2025, it is expected to be the third largest country after India and China, it has great potential, it has role to play in Africa and in the world in the coming few decades. Why should we allow it to be stunted?… We have the capacity to do so, we have the ability, we have the intention. So why can’t the president Tinubu or any president that comes in to facilitate the process of getting citizens to contribute in a very amicable manner to be able to raise this country?” he asked, urging President Tinubu and future leaders to engage citizens in rebuilding the nation for a prosperous future.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.arise.tv/usman-bugaje-tinubus-leadership-lacks-ideas-and-dynamism-turning-towards-monarchy/amp/

His opinion

Hehehe! Certificate forging T-Pain aka Mr emilokan

You can't offer what you don't have.

No more egunje

The North can cry till infinity. The bill has come to stay.i don't know why fgn challenge wike when he wanted states to collect vat in thr state

This man must be Igbo IPOB - Agbado rodents

Tinubu defenders, over to you.

unbiasedTruth:
This man must be Igbo IPOB - Agbado rodents

I Dey wait when our slaves will force theirselves into the discussion Una no Dey disappoint.

Even Abacha could not actualize it..

God is bigger than them all

unbiasedTruth:
This man must be Igbo IPOB - Agbado rodents

Stop polluting the thread with unrelated subjects

Wetin carry Igbo enter here?

Concerns very valid except the tax reform bill

helinues:
His opinion

A reality and fact

EmperorCaesar:


Stop polluting the thread with unrelated subjects

Wetin carry Igbo enter here?

Make no igbo man comment anything for this kain thread. Make Them Slug it out.

Smuggle what? It pains some people that the tax reform must go through democratic process. Unlike before they write things in their bedroom.

Everybody can tell you how to do it but they never did themselves.

unbiasedTruth:
This man must be Igbo IPOB - Agbado rodents

of IPOB are increasing in number

Noblechykk:

of IPOB are increasing in number

We need to arrest them all.
Though we have arrested Kanu & Ekpa so we are confused on who to arrest next.

TheWitchKing:


Make no igbo man comment anything for this kain thread. Make Them Slug it out.

What I find ironical is that Igbos have been complaining about all these things but they were called names. They were hated and still being hated.

EmperorCaesar:


Stop polluting the thread with unrelated subjects

Wetin carry Igbo enter here?

Tochitee:

I Dey wait when our slaves will force theirselves into the discussion Una no Dey disappoint.

Agbado rodents spotted

Nigeria foolishly copied American presidential system without having the underlying culture and elements that dilute the president's power.
We indeed have close to a powerful monarchy and it's not Tinubu's fault!

VERY SENSIBLE TALK.
TINUBU PLEASE ADOPT FAPRES AND CTC TRFG NOW.
AND WRITE YOUR NAME IN GOLD.

This one the north is just wailing like this, the man must be doing something good😂

I may not like Tinubu's style of leadership that is making living very hard for the citizens, but all these Islamic scholars were all quiet when Buhari was tearing Nigeria apart with lopsided appointments and islamization tendencies.

I agree with him. This istration has shown no vision whatsoever

helinues:
His opinion

Very Good and Honest Opinion from a right thinking Nigerian not the Wicked , Heartless and Selfish Opinion of You and your Cohorts Celebrating every Stupid Policies of your Gbajue Drug Sniffer Jagaban...

Or this one too is Obedient/ IPOB , Many Northerners are Just waking up from being a Zombie like You ..

Tinubu's government is stuck in reverse. Taking Nigerians back to the poverty stage they ed before 1960 independence.

razzydoo:
Everybody can tell you how to do it but they never did themselves.

QED!