According to a report by Arise TV on Sunday, July 13, 2025, discussions on News Night centered around the legacy of former President Muhammadu Buhari, following his recent passing.
In a reflective conversation featuring Dr. Sam Amadi and lawyer Frank Tietie, the pair weighed the high expectations Nigerians once had against the mixed realities of Buhari’s time in office.
Frank Tietie expressed personal sadness at Buhari’s death, saying he had hoped the former president would still be around to critique unfolding events in Nigeria. Tietie admitted that Buhari maintained a reputation for discipline and moral uprightness, calling him “a man of integrity,” but he emphasized that the reputation alone did not translate into good governance.
Dr. Amadi, meanwhile, challenged the popular narrative of economic diversification under Buhari. Citing pre-2015 economic data, he argued that the country saw little evidence of genuine transformation under Buhari’s administration. He dismissed the agricultural revolution narrative, referring to the much-publicized rice pyramids as political optics rather than proof of reform. “There was no real diversification of the economy,” Amadi stated. “In fact, some of his policies were counterproductive.”
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Tietie further emphasized Buhari’s lost potential, observing that while the former president initiated key infrastructure projects—like the AKK gas pipeline and rail upgrades—his administration largely failed to capitalize on them. In his words, “If we look back at President Buhari’s tenure, it was more of a litany of missed opportunities—things he could have done to unite the country or act truly in the interest of Nigeria.”
Both analysts agreed that while Buhari’s austere personal lifestyle was commendable, it did not offset the governance shortcomings that came to define his presidency.
