How Tinubu Escaped a “Poisonous Knife” – Shehu Sani

Newsflash Nigeria StaffJune 7, 2023

1 minute read

Shehu Sani, a former senator representing Kaduna Central, has commended President Bola Tinubu for his wise choice of appointments for the Secretary to the State Government (SGF) and the Chief of Staff (CoS).

Tinubu, who was sworn in as Nigeria’s president on May 29, 2023, appointed former Interior Minister George Akume as the new SGF and House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila as his CoS.

Sani said that Tinubu dodged a “poisonous knife” by not appointing a certain “Mr Over Sabi” who would have caused trouble between him and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

He said that such a person would have acted as if he was more important than the president and the vice president and would have sown the seed of discord between them.

Sani wrote on Twitter: “If Tinubu had appointed ‘Mr Over Sabi’ as SGF or Chief of Staff, he would have sown the seed of discord between the President and the Vice President, Speak and move around as more important than the two. Tinubu has dodged a Poisonous knife.”

Sani did not mention the name of the “Mr Over Sabi” he was referring to, but some Nigerians speculated that he was talking about former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, who served as Minister of Works and Housing under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

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Fashola was seen as one of Tinubu’s loyalists and protégés, but he reportedly fell out with him over political differences. Some Nigerians expected Fashola to get a prominent position in Tinubu’s administration, but he was left out.

Sani is a vocal critic of Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). He contested for the presidency under the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) in 2019, but lost to Muhammadu Buhari. He has been urging Nigerians to hold Tinubu accountable for his promises and policies.