Former Nigeria head of state Ibrahim Babaginda said the corruption in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is worse than when he was in government.
He said this in an interview granted to ARISE TV on Friday.
Babangida, who served as head of state between 1985 and 1993, said his administration was a saint compared to what is happening now.
The former military leader said while he moved against a former military governor who embezzled N313,000, those who stole billions are walking freely.
Asked if he agrees with those who said his government was very corrupt, Babangida said: “But what’s happening now is worse than when we were in power… we are saints when compared with that.”
Babangida said he sacked a governor during his time for corruption involving money less than N300.
The former military head of state noted that Nigeria needs a leader that will talk to the people and not talk on top of the people.
“If you get a good leadership that links with the people and tries to talk with the people; not talking on top of the people, then we would be okay,” Babangida said.
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Babangida said he has “started visualizing a good Nigerian leader.”
“That is, a person, who travels across the country and has a friend virtually everywhere he travels to and he knows at least one person that he can communicate with,” Babangida said.
“That is a person, who is very versed in economics and is also a good politician, who should be able to talk to Nigerians and so on. I have seen one, or two or three of such persons already in his sixties.”
Babangida, however, said he has a “very good” relationship with Buhari but stated that “the seemingly rift between us is caused by you, the media.”