Bashir Ahmad Hails Buhari’s Legacy, Faces Backlash Over Claims of PDP’s Poor Performance
Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad has sparked a heated debate on social media with claims that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari outperformed the three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidents—Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan—in infrastructural development.
Ahmad, a staunch ally of Buhari, took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle to praise the former president’s achievements while criticizing the PDP’s 16-year rule, accusing the opposition party of squandering Nigeria’s oil wealth. He was responding to a tweet from a PDP-supporting handle that shared a photo of Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, and Jonathan with the caption, “The last time Nigeria was in good hands.”
In his response, Ahmad wrote:
“Hilarious! In terms of infrastructure, these three presidents combined (referring to Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, and Jonathan) can’t boast even a third of what President Buhari achieved in his eight years. That is not even an opinion, that is a fact.”
Ahmad argued that despite governing during two major oil boom periods, PDP-led administrations failed to invest in meaningful infrastructure.
“From 1999 to 2008, global oil demand surged due to geopolitical tensions and limited supply, pushing crude oil prices to over $140 per barrel. At the same time, Nigeria was producing over 2.5 million barrels of crude daily, the highest in our history. This was the golden era for oil-producing countries. Countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar invested heavily in transformative infrastructure and built sovereign wealth funds to secure their futures. Meanwhile, Nigeria, under PDP, built nothing and saved nothing,” Ahmad claimed.
He further alleged that another oil boom between 2010 and 2014, when crude oil prices averaged over $100 per barrel, was also mismanaged by the Jonathan administration.
“The only achievement they can boast of from that period is economic growth figures on paper, numbers that mean little to the average Nigerian struggling with poor roads, an unreliable power supply, and decaying public services,” he added.
Nigerians Fire Back, Debunk Ahmad’s Claims
Ahmad’s remarks immediately triggered widespread backlash, with many Nigerians taking to X to counter his claims and highlight the failures of Buhari’s government.
A user, Emperor Baze (@NkwachukwuOgbo1), dismissed Ahmad’s argument, pointing out that PDP administrations significantly impacted the tech and entertainment industries while lifting many Nigerians out of poverty.
“Without building roads, they made an impact on the tech and entertainment world, rescued Nigerians from poverty. The people they made rich, your APC has impoverished them with wrong policies. How can you build a home you can’t maintain? That road will be probed by another government.”
Another user, Freegiver 2 (@AbiriOlubunmi), argued that PDP played a crucial role in developing key Nigerian cities.
“PDP built all the major roads in Abuja, Jigawa, Zamfara, Gombe, and Katsina, which were more like local governments before PDP took over and turned them into cities. You can criticize PDP for low performance, but PDP did better than APC in everything.”
Arubuola (@arubuola2006) challenged Ahmad to list projects initiated by Buhari instead of taking credit for those started under PDP governments.
“Buhari completed a lot of legacy projects initiated by the PDP. You should rather list the legacy projects initiated by Buhari. We were here during PDP rule, facts are facts. For your info, I am not a fan of both parties, I see them both as plagues.”
Another critic highlighted the economic hardships under Buhari’s administration, stating:
“Since Buhari took over, our debts increased till now. Even insecurity under PDP wasn’t as awful as it is now. During PDP, tuition wasn’t as high as it is today. You guys just keep messing things up. Even some are regretting why your party took over the government.”
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Ahmad’s claims come at a time when many Nigerians are still grappling with the economic downturn inherited from the Buhari administration. Under his tenure, Nigeria’s external debt skyrocketed from $10.3 billion in 2015 to over $40 billion in 2023, with significant loans from China and other international lenders.
The naira also suffered massive devaluation, falling from about ₦197/$1 in 2015 to over ₦750/$1 by the time Buhari left office.
Despite his focus on infrastructure, Buhari’s tenure was marked by worsening insecurity, with Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, and kidnappings becoming rampant. Major roads, especially in the North, became high-risk zones due to terrorist activities, while thousands of Nigerians were displaced due to violent attacks.
Meanwhile, inflation soared, leaving millions in poverty, with businesses struggling under harsh economic conditions. Many of Buhari’s projects were also tainted by allegations of mismanagement and corruption.
As the debate rages on, Ahmad’s remarks continue to divide opinions, with many Nigerians questioning whether Buhari’s achievements truly outweigh the economic and security challenges he left behind.
