Former Aviation Minister Senator Hadi Sirika has stepped out to defend the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s record, saying the administration left Nigeria “a flourishing” country with a stronger economy, better security and a solid base for those who followed.
Speaking on ARISE Television, Sirika argued Buhari made real progress despite tough beginnings and framed his policies as long-term moves for the nation. “I do believe that he left a country that is flourishing,” Sirika said.
Daily Trust notes Sirika spoke ahead of a posthumous anniversary planned by Buhari’s allies; the former president died on July 13, 2025.
Sirika also touched on the current government. He recalled that President Bola Tinubu ended the fuel subsidy when he took office in 2023, saying Tinubu inherited an economy near collapse. But Sirika would not attack Tinubu’s choices, insisting both leaders followed the All Progressives Congress agenda. “As an APC person, I do believe that they are not doing things just off the top of their head to inflict injury on the country. I think they are being advised of the exigencies of their time and are taking decisions that are good for the country,” he said.
Pushing back at critics who labelled Buhari “Baba Go Slow,” Sirika blamed the nickname on the long ministerial appointments at the start and urged patience with governments. “I think, to be fair to President Muhammadu Buhari, he led the government in the best way that he could, and we’ve seen a lot of progress,” he added.
He listed security gains — recovery of 17 local government areas from Boko Haram, degradation of the insurgency, rescue of many Chibok girls and restored normalcy in parts of the North‑East — saying people could farm, go to school and travel more freely.
On the economy he insisted Buhari left healthy foreign reserves and growing business opportunities. “The economy was doing well. He had shot up the foreign reserves at his time. He had made it stronger, and there were funds available for entrepreneurship and access to the economy. They were flourishing and doing very well. There were a lot of companies that were coming up,” he said.
On airports, Sirika defended the concession programme he began, saying preferred bidders for Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano had been chosen before legal challenges stalled the roll‑out. “The aviation projects are the only projects in the country that are going through every single step towards ensuring transparency,” Sirika said, adding that the process was made publicly accessible through a dedicated website.
