Buhari Would’ve Been President in 2011 if not for Sabotage, Says Ngige

Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has stated that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari would have assumed the presidency as far back as 2011 if not for internal political challenges and systemic sabotage within the Nigerian political space.

According to Ngige, Buhari’s mass appeal, popularity among ordinary Nigerians, and commitment to fighting corruption and insecurity were already well-known as early as the 2000s.

However, he claimed that Buhari’s presidential ambition was delayed due to elite resistance and manipulation within the political establishment.

“President Buhari actually won the 2011 election, in my view and the view of many Nigerians,” Ngige said. “If not for the obstacles placed before him by powerful interests who feared his no-nonsense stance and anti-corruption posture, he would have taken office four years earlier than he eventually did.”

Ngige, a founding member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and a key player in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recounted the challenges faced during the opposition merger efforts that eventually brought Buhari to power in 2015.

He described Buhari’s eventual victory as a “miracle of political resilience,” noting that despite repeated disappointments in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 elections, Buhari remained committed to democratic ideals and the Nigerian people.

“His tenacity was unmatched. Many would have given up after trying three times and failing, but not him. That’s the mark of a true patriot,” Ngige added.

The former minister also used the occasion to praise Buhari’s legacy, citing infrastructural development, the fight against insurgency, and social investment programmes initiated during his administration.

“History will be kind to Buhari. His achievements may not have been fully appreciated during his lifetime, but the records will speak in the years to come,” he concluded.