Former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), has criticized his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, and his deputy, Tunde Idiagbon, for isolating themselves from the military and the public during their rule. In his new book, A Journey in Service, Babangida accused the duo of fostering a rigid leadership style that distanced the armed forces from national affairs.
He argued that Buhari and Idiagbon’s “holier than thou” approach alienated the military from civilians and created an atmosphere of fear. According to Babangida, their administration imposed draconian decrees that restricted fundamental rights instead of inspiring hope for the people.
IBB further stated that what was meant to be a collective military government became an autocratic rule by a select few. He maintained that his intervention aimed to restore balance and correct the flaws of the previous regime.