The Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to publicly dissociate his administration from that of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari to avoid failures of the past rubbing off on him.

The group gave the advice while rebutting comments made by Reuben Abati, former spokesman for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, regarding former President Buhari.

Abati had suggested that Buhari is mocking Nigeria from his residence in Daura, Katsina State, due to the current socio-economic challenges in the country.

Responding, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, Convener of Arewa Think Tank, dismissed Abati’s comments as a misguided attempt to distort the truth.

Yakubu questioned how Buhari could be laughing when he presided over a period marked by economic hardship, which President Bola Tinubu inherited.

He highlighted ongoing issues, including the detention of Buhari’s central bank governor and investigations into Buhari’s nephew for alleged embezzlement.

“We are very sure that the Buhari we know would be deeply disturbed and saddened whenever he hears of all the atrocities committed during his tenure as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” he said.

The statement also criticised Buhari’s financial legacy, noting the extensive borrowing from foreign governments and misuse of foreign reserves under his tenure.

Buhari would surely be troubled by the financial mismanagement and corruption during his presidency,” Yakubu said.

Arewa Think Tank urged President Tinubu to distance his administration from Buhari’s legacy to avoid the pitfalls of the previous government.

“This advice has become necessary in order for Tinubu to avoid the failures of the previous government rubbing off on his own administration that is struggling to get out of the socio-economic woods he inherited.

They also advised immediate action to address potential food crises and urged Tinubu to tackle banditry decisively.

Another advice is that in as much as some of us are praising him for the approved local government autonomy and subsidy removal, one of the legacies that he will leave behind and people will remember him for a long time is to go frontal and defeat the bandits. They are not spirits, they can be defeated”, the statement said.