Muhammad Bello Buhari has cautioned Nigerians against seeing elected officials as job providers, describing the mindset as a major distortion of democratic governance.
He said public office holders, especially lawmakers, were never elected to share jobs but to serve specific constitutional roles.
Buhari made this known in a social media post shared on Wednesday, where he warned that the growing pressure on politicians to secure employment for supporters is damaging institutions and weakening standards.
According to him, such expectations distract public officials from their core responsibilities.
In his words, “they are meant to legislate, to provide oversight, to hold power accountable.”
He explained that when politicians are treated as employment brokers, governance is reduced to patronage rather than service.
He also criticised the current state of recruitment in the public and civil service, blaming it on favouritism and connections. Buhari argued that competence has been pushed aside, leading to declining efficiency across government institutions.
“We’ve reduced both public and civil service into an incompetent space, sustained by an even more incompetent and irresponsible employment culture,” he said.
Buhari noted that the situation reflects a deeper national problem. He said the obsession with who you know, rather than what you know, shows “how unserious we’ve become as a nation.” He added that this culture harms both governance and the future of young Nigerians.
While acknowledging the reality of unemployment and weak systems, Buhari expressed concern over the growing normalisation of job-seeking through political influence. He said he often struggles to understand why young people choose that path.
“I have never found anything dignifying or admirable about begging for what should be competed for,” he stated.
Despite his criticism, Buhari offered words of encouragement to unemployed youths. He urged them to invest in skills, competence, and personal growth rather than waiting for political favours.
“May you grow more competent, more confident, and more prepared not out of pity or connection, but because you truly deserve them,” he added.