By Luminous Jannamike
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was heavily influenced by sycophants, many of whom have now turned against him since leaving office.
Governor Sule made the remarks in Abuja over the weekend during the 2nd Raymond Dokpesi Diamond Lecture, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), where he was also conferred with a Fellowship of the Institute.
The event, held at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre and Suites, Asokoro, drew top government officials, communication experts, and media professionals, who paid glowing tributes to the late founder of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi.
Governor Sule said his years in public office had taught him the dangers of flattery in leadership, warning that praise-singing could damage the integrity and performance of any administration.
“By being a governor, I have seen what sycophancy can do. I have seen people actually sit in the presence of President Muhammadu Buhari to tell him, ‘Oh, you are the best ever. Nobody can do this better.’
But the minute Buhari left government, they started saying, ‘Oh, he was one of the worst presidents we had ever seen.’ These are the same people but in different moments. That is what sycophancy is all about,” Sule said.
Reflecting on his political journey, the governor recounted his first attempt to contest the governorship in 2007 after returning from the United States, an experience that exposed him to what he described as the murky side of Nigerian politics.
“At the end of every meeting, they would ask for money, and I would tell them I don’t have naira, I have dollars, and they would say, ‘That is okay!’” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.
He also spoke about how he resolved the recurring border clashes between farmers and herders along the Nasarawa–Benue boundary, explaining that he refused to inherit the hostilities that had existed between his predecessor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, and former Benue governor, Samuel Ortom.
“My father always told me not to inherit enemies. That was why I led a delegation of major traditional rulers from Nasarawa State to visit Governor Ortom, where the issues were comprehensively addressed,” he explained.
Governor Sule credited his eventual emergence as governor in 2019 to the encouragement and support of Al-Makura, who persuaded him to run while he was still working with the Dangote Group.
“Having experienced the politics of 2007, I was cautious. But Al-Makura promised to resolve every issue I raised, and true to his word, he did,” he recalled.
Contrasting his enduring loyalty to Al-Makura with the betrayal experienced by Buhari, the governor stressed that he would remain indebted to his predecessor.
“I will forever be grateful to Al-Makura,” he declared, adding that he would never allow political differences to damage their relationship.
Governor Sule also paid glowing tribute to the late Chief Raymond Dokpesi, describing him as a fearless media trailblazer who broke government monopoly during the military era.
“We are here to celebrate an icon of media. Dokpesi was not afraid to speak truth to power, even during difficult times,” he said.
In his remarks, NIPR President, Dr Ike Neliaku, commended Governor Sule for donating a parcel of land to the institute for the construction of its first global Public Relations University in Nasarawa State.
He noted that the project had reached an advanced stage and would become a centre of excellence for training ethical communicators, transformational leaders, and development-oriented professionals.
“The new institution will bridge the gap between policy and practice in Nigeria’s public relations landscape and strengthen the country’s communication capacity,” Neliaku said.
The well-attended lecture drew participants from government, the media, academia, and civil society, all of whom extolled Dokpesi’s pioneering role in establishing Nigeria’s first private radio and television stations and his enduring legacy of courage, innovation, and advocacy for free expression.
Vanguard News
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