- Buhari Betrayed Nigeria, Prolonged His Life at Our Expense – Sowore
- Accuses ex-president of mass suffering and empty legacy
- Condemns Buhari’s secrecy over foreign medical trips
By Grateful Ogunjebe
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has delivered a scathing critique of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing him of prolonging his life at the expense of millions of Nigerians.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a Sunday PUNCH interview, Sowore described Buhari’s administration as a betrayal of national trust, alleging that the ex-leader’s policies and decisions were responsible for immense suffering across the country.
“Buhari used Nigeria to prolong his own life while shortening the lives of millions,” Sowore said. “No amount of funeral diplomacy can erase that.”
He dismissed claims of Buhari’s integrity, stating, “He came on the wings of hope and left on the wings of despair. His tenure was marked not by transformation, but by regression where empathy died, mediocrity thrived, and dreams were crushed.”
Sowore insisted that the truth must be told, even after death. “We owe fairness first to the living,” he said. “Nigeria is filled with mass graves dug by Buhari’s failures, victims of terrorism, hunger, poverty, extrajudicial killings, and government neglect.”
He argued that public figures should not be canonised posthumously, saying, “Their legacies belong to the people, not their family or fan base. Buhari’s record speaks for itself, it’s an indictment.”
Buhari, who ruled from 2015 to 2023, was known for frequent foreign medical trips, mostly to the United Kingdom, despite pledges to end medical tourism.
His first trip occurred in February 2016, shortly followed by another in June that year for an ear infection a visit which drew criticism from the Nigerian Medical Association.
In January 2017, Buhari embarked on a 50-day “medical vacation” in London, followed by a 104-day stay in mid-2017. Details of his ailment were never officially disclosed, raising concerns about transparency and governance.
During these absences, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo served as acting president. Buhari’s subsequent trips, including during a 2021 doctors’ strike, highlighted the irony of seeking care abroad while the domestic health system crumbled.
He reportedly travelled at least nine times for treatment, spending an estimated 230 days abroad. The cost of maintaining the presidential jet and medical entourage ranged from ₦1.1 billion to ₦5.4 billion, according to media estimates excluding medical and accommodation costs.
Despite criticism, Buhari defended his trips, citing trust in his UK doctors. However, civil society groups slammed the practice, calling it a “national shame.” World Medical Association’s then-president, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said the former leader failed to develop any world-class hospital throughout his tenure.
Sowore concluded, “Let Buhari’s story be a warning, not a model. We must stop recycling false legacies. We owe it to the living and the unborn to tell the truth.”
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