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Jonathan Replies Garba Shehu: I Have Nothing To Do With Buhari’s Failure
Goodluck Jonathan has replied Garba Shehu, who earlier today claimed that the former President is to be blamed over Buhari’s failure to appoint ministers on time.
We reported that Garba Shehu who appeared on a Channel’s TV show, said the refusal of Jonathan’s government to cooperate with the transition committee had a negative effect on the current administration. Frank Shuaibu, special adviser on public communications to Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who also featured on the programme, had listed Buhari’s delay in appointing his cabinet as one of the factors that plunged the economy into a recession.
Goodluck Jonathan who replied Garba Shehu in a statement titled ‘Garba Shehu’s gaffe on Jonathan’s Handover notes to Buhari’ and released on his behalf by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, said that anyone who uses handover notes to justify a President’s indiscretion of not appointing ministers until after spending six months in power, is either being mischievous or does not really understand governance processes.
According to the former President, ‘those who think like Shehu that a Government would not function properly if it does not receive handover notes in time, should be reminded that there is no law establishing the process. It is simply a matter of convenience for an outgoing President to develop handover notes to guide his successor understand key issues and hit the ground running.’
The statement reads in full;
Our attention has been drawn to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu in which he blamed the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint ministers until six months after taking over office on the administration of former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
Speaking on a Channels television programme on Monday December 17, Shehu had claimed that it took President buhari who was sworn in on May 29, 2015 until November 11, 2015 to appoint his ministers because the “President was given handover notes 48 hours to the handover of power”. As strange as that particular assertion may sound, it still beggars belief that a spokesman of a President who is seeking re-election would still be looking for a scapegoat for the administration’s failure, at a time he should be showcasing his scorecard. That amounts to merely clutching at straws.
One thing is as clear as daylight: The Jonathan administration has absolutely nothing to do with the failure of this government to appoint ministers early enough to inspire confidence in investors because it is obvious that handover notes from a predecessor does not contain the list of ministers for the incoming administration. However, that is even making light of Garba Shehu’s unending embarrassing gaffe. It is expected that a man who has been around the corridors of power for that long, beginning from when he served as a media adviser under President Obasanjo for years, should understand Government’s basic functions and procedures. Handover notes, being transitioning documents, are usually received by an incoming President from his predecessor at the time of change of government.
It is not a document that guides a President to appoint his ministers. Under normal circumstances, a newly inaugurated President needs the support of his ministers, who would handle different departments of Government, to study and understand his handover notes for effective performance of his initial duties. Those who think like Shehu that a Government would not function properly if it does not receive handover notes in time, should be reminded that there is no law establishing the process. It is simply a matter of convenience for an outgoing President to develop handover notes to guide his successor understand key issues and hit the ground running.
In his own case, former president Jonathan magnanimously set up a transition team that produced the handover document which President Buhari received ahead of his inauguration. Anyone who uses handover notes to justify a President’s indiscretion of not appointing ministers until after spending six months in power, is either being mischievous or does not really understand governance processes.
Sometimes, when Mr. Shehu speaks, he comes across as someone who is unaware of the fact that, under our laws, an administration is elected for a tenure of four years within which it is expected to have fulfilled its campaign promises, before returning to the electorates for a fresh mandate. In case he does not know, Shehu should be reminded that blaming others for one’s failures is not a prove of performance. Assuming, without out conceding, that the last administration was as bad as they want Nigerians to believe, is it not a fact of governance that it is the duty of every responsible administration to seek to make better the situation it met on ground? Anything less than that is a prove of incompetence for which a failed administration has no moral justification to ask for a fresh mandate.
While members of the current administration continue to blame President Jonathan for their failure to deliver on their mandate, they should be reminded that there are many African success stories that proved that a progress-minded administration has no business focusing only on the past. From a past of the worst genocide in recent history, Rwandan President Paul Kagame did not blame anybody when he took charge. He simply hit the ground running, and today, we all know where Rwanda stands in Africa’s growth and development index.
The story is similar in Cote d’Ivoire where President Alassane Ouattara was able to turn around the Ivorian economy within two years after it had virtually collapsed following the negative impact of the country’s worst political crisis. As the Buhari Government nears its end, the minders of the administration should please tell Nigerians what new projects, programmes and institutions for good governance they have added to those established by the various administrations of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), since they took office on May 29, 2015. The truth is that this unhelpful blame game must stop if we have to move forward as a nation.
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Fellow Nigerians, and friends of Nigeria abroad,
They said the APC was not popular with the people. They said its strength was only in government houses, not in the marketplace, not in the villages, not in the hearts of men and women who rise each day to labor under the hot sun. Yet the people have now spoken, and their voice is louder than the rumors of social media, stronger than the whispers of drawing rooms.
In the bye-elections of this past weekend, sixteen seats were set before the people. Out of these, the APC took eleven, stretching across Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Taraba, Ogun, Kogi, Edo, Adamawa, and Niger. One more stands in contest, and there too the APC leads.
APGA secured two seats in Anambra. The PDP held one in Oyo. The NNPP claimed one in Kano. But the others—ADC, SDP, Labour—were nowhere to be found. Not a single seat fell their way.
So I ask: how do you define popularity? By the clamor on Facebook? By the trend on Instagram? By the fury of TikTok or the storms of X? No. Popularity in a democracy is measured by ballots cast, by hands inked, by real people walking to the polls to say with their vote: this is who we trust.
In America, they speak of midterm elections, a verdict passed halfway through a presidency. There, such elections measure the strength of the president and the staying power of his party. Nigeria has no midterm Congress. But these bye-elections, spread across thirteen states and five geopolitical zones, are our closest equivalent. And their meaning cannot be ignored.
Many thought the ADC, older in years than the APC, would rise with its new converts and prove itself a rival. Many thought the PDP would mount a strong wave. But the verdict of the ballot tells a different story. The PDP lives, but it fights to hold ground. The ADC, SDP, and Labour remain shadows, not yet substance. The NNPP, for all its color, remains a Kano river, not a national sea.
The APC, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has not only stood but has been endorsed. For all the cries, for all the bitter words against his reforms, the people have answered with their votes: they are willing to endure the hard medicine if it promises a better tomorrow.
What then is the road ahead? It is clear. The APC stands as the party to beat in 2027. The opposition must gather itself, must bind its wounds, must cease from fighting in fragments if it wishes to rise as a true alternative.
But for now, let it be recorded in the annals of our young democracy: that on the 16th of August, 2025, the Nigerian people spoke with ballots, not hashtags; with votes, not noise; with courage, not despair. And their verdict was plain.
The APC is not a party of rumor, but a party of the people.
The Lagos State Government, in its continued effort to promote cultural heritage and deepen tourism footprints, has concluded plans to host the Lagos Cultural Weekend.
A three-day cultural extravaganza, scheduled to take place across multiple strategic locations, including the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Freedom Park, National Theatre, Badagry Heritage Museum, Lekki Arts and Crafts Market, and Tafawa Balewa Square, from November 14th to November 16th, 2025.
This weekend-long celebration will spotlight the richness of Nigeria’s traditions through curated events that blend history, culture, and local artistry.
Speaking on the initiative, Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, noted that the event is a key part of a broader framework of the Lagos Cultural Mission.
“We aim to use the Lagos Cultural Weekend as a true reflection of Lagos culture, a herescope for tourists and visitors from across the globe to witness just how rich our culture is.
“The three days will be a cultural baptism, a deep, meaningful introduction to who we are. As a government, we now understand prioritising cultural representation as a driver for economic growth.
”On the initiative’s impact, the Special Adviser explained that it goes beyond showcasing culture, but investing in cultural artisans, talented enthusiasts, and key stakeholders to foster real engagement and growth.“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration values collaboration and inclusiveness, which is why we want to work closely with Lagosians who truly understand our culture to help us achieve these goals.
“From the historians, to creatives, curators, artisans, culinary experts, performers, fashion designers, community leaders, and traditional institutions, we need them to join us in making a lasting impact.“So that, in the end, our guests and friends from many nations will carry home an authentic story of Lagos and enriched cultural literacy,” Mr. Aregbe said.
Attendees will enjoy array of activities, including live music performances, DIY sessions, contemporary art exhibitions, traditional dance showcases, fashion shows, culinary tastings, and craft demonstrations.
Also lined up are symposiums and cultural lectures designed for tourists and enthusiasts who wish to dive deeper into the Lagos cultural identity.
The weekend will be animated by diverse local performance groups representing the rich ethnic landscape of Lagos, with a special emphasis on language, literature, and indigenous storytelling.
Lagos Cultural Weekend 2025 reaffirms the state’s commitment to building a thriving creative economy while celebrating the depth of Nigerian traditions.
Through strategic partnerships, corporate sponsorships, and community engagement, this initiative will set a new benchmark for inclusive cultural programming in Lagos and Africa at large.
Lagos Cultural Mission….Preserving Our Heritage, Advancing The Future
Aare Adetola Emmanuel King Congratulates Hon. Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji on Election Victory
The Chairman/CEO of Adron Group, Sir Aare Adetola Emmanuel King KOF, has congratulated Hon. Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji on her resounding victory in the just-concluded by-election for the Remo Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
In a goodwill message issued by him, he described the victory as “a historic moment for the Remo people, coming at a time when the constituency yearns for a leader with vision, courage, and genuine commitment to service.”
He noted that the outcome of the election was an attestation to the trust and confidence reposed in Hon. Ayoola-Elegbeji by the people, adding that her sterling qualities, integrity, accessibility, and compassion for the grassroots had endeared her to the electorate.
“The overwhelming support you garnered at the polls is proof that you are the right voice at the right time to carry the aspirations of Remo to the national stage,” he stated.
While acknowledging that the by-election followed the painful demise of the late Hon. Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga (Ijaya), Aare Adetola Emmanuel King said Hon. Ayoola-Elegbeji’s emergence symbolizes the continuity of purposeful representation. He expressed confidence that she would not only sustain the legacy of her predecessor but also surpass it with new energy, innovative ideas, and progressive leadership.
The Adron Group Chairman further prayed for divine wisdom, strength, and compassion for the Member-Elect as she assumes office, expressing confidence that her tenure will usher in meaningful development, economic empowerment, and greater opportunities for the people of Remo Federal Constituency.
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