Former Buhari ADC, Mustapha Jokolo, Exonerates President Tinubu, Blames Northern Elite for Region’s Decay
Alhaji Mustapha Jokolo, former Aide-de-Camp to ex-Head of State Muhammadu Buhari and a former Emir of Gwandu, has delivered a sweeping critique of Northern Nigeria’s political establishment, urging the region to stop blaming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the country’s present challenges and instead confront what he described as decades of internal leadership failure.
In a candid intervention on national issues, Jokolo argued that Northern Nigeria’s persistent underdevelopment cannot be divorced from the actions of its own elite, despite the region’s long dominance of Nigeria’s political and military leadership.
According to him, the North has produced several presidents, ministers in strategic portfolios such as petroleum, and top military chiefs since independence, yet has little developmental progress to show. He attributed this to “nepotism, incompetence, and self-serving leadership” among sections of the region’s political class.
“Buhari’s Eight Years Were Wasted”
Jokolo was particularly blunt about the administration of his former principal, Muhammadu Buhari, describing the eight-year tenure as a missed opportunity for Northern renewal.
He alleged that Buhari allowed a small circle of influential figures to wield excessive power, specifically mentioning Mamman Daura. Jokolo suggested that this inner circle operated without the breadth of expertise required to manage a complex modern state.
“It is unfortunate that the opportunity of those eight years did not translate into meaningful gains for the North,” he said, lamenting that widespread poverty, insecurity, and economic fragility deepened during the period.
Tinubu “Not the Problem”
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Turning to the current administration, Jokolo defended President Tinubu, arguing that many of Nigeria’s structural problems predate his tenure.
He recalled Tinubu’s time as Governor of Lagos State under President Olusegun Obasanjo, when Lagos allocations were withheld by the federal government, yet the state still pursued reforms and financial innovation.
“Why should Tinubu be blamed for everything today?” Jokolo asked. “We should look inward. Many of the challenges confronting the North are the bitter fruits of decisions taken by our own leaders over the years.”
Northern Institutions Under Fire
Jokolo also expressed concern over what he described as the weakening of key Northern institutions.
He said traditional and religious bodies that once provided moral and social direction—such as the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Jama’atul Nasril Islam—have lost influence, while internal disputes among traditional rulers, including royal tussles in Kano, project an image of disunity.
On wealth distribution, he criticized Northern elites for failing to invest meaningfully in education and social welfare, contrasting this with philanthropic gestures by figures from other regions.
Call for a Return to Sardauna-Era Values
Invoking the legacy of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, Jokolo called for a return to values of merit, discipline, and inclusive governance.
He decried what he sees as a pattern of appointing individuals to high office based on loyalty rather than competence, warning that such practices undermine institutions and stall development.
“Across the North today, there is little cohesion or shared direction,” he said. “If we want progress, we must first interrogate ourselves. Tinubu is not our fundamental problem — we are our own problem.”
Jokolo’s remarks have added a new dimension to ongoing debates about governance, accountability, and the future of Northern Nigeria within the national political landscape.
By PRNigeria
