I don't believe that Buhari is in charge in Aso Rock, says Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka 

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has said he does not believe that President Muhammadu Buhari is in charge in Aso Rock.

Soyinka stated this during an interview on PlusTv Africa on Thursday.


He was reacting to an open letter written to the President by retired colonel and former Military Administrator of Kaduna, Umar Dangiwa.

Umar had written an open letter to Buhari, saying his skewed appointments into offices of the Federal Government, favouring some and frustrating others, shall bring ruin and destruction to the country.




In the open letter, Dangiwa who served as military governor of Kaduna between 1985 and 1988 under the regime of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, asked Buhari to emulate some past Nigerian leaders who showed great statesmanship.

Soyinka said: “I have said this before. I don’t believe there is really anybody in charge in Aso Rock. I’ve been studying the trend over the past year and a half and I believe this president is not in charge of this nation, in so many aspects and directions.


“It is not the fact alone, we know the history of this. We know what it has caused the nation and we know it isn’t over yet. And you say you are launching an enquiry. That’s not enough.”

Recall that Umar Dangiwa, retired colonel and former military administrator of Kaduna, had said President Muhammadu Buhari’s knack for appointing people from his section of Nigeria into office will ruin the country.



Dangiwa flayed the president in an open letter to him, citing the case of the acting appeal court president whose appointment has not been confirmed.

Buhari had extended the protem appointment of Monica Dongban-Mensem, who is a Christian, as the president of the court of appeal without formalising her position as substantive head of the appellate court.

The president has not sent her name to the senate for the confirmation of her appointment.

This has raised questions regarding the reasons behind the decision of the president.