Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has criticised what he described as the rampant culture of political sycophancy in Nigeria, revealing that many politicians who once hailed former President Muhammadu Buhari have now turned against him.
Speaking at the 2nd Raymond Dokpesi Diamond Lecture organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in Abuja on Saturday, the governor recounted his experience during Buhari’s administration, noting that he witnessed firsthand how some political figures praised the former president excessively while he was in power but wasted no time discrediting him after he left office.
“As a sitting governor, I have seen what sycophancy can do,” Sule said. “I have seen people sit before President Muhammadu Buhari, telling him, ‘You are the best ever; nobody can do this better.’ But the minute he left government, those same people started saying he was one of the worst presidents we’ve ever had. These are the same people but at different moments — that is the tragedy of sycophancy.”
Governor Sule warned that such a culture of deceitful flattery undermines governance and erodes public trust in leadership, urging politicians to maintain consistency and integrity in their public conduct.
The Nasarawa governor also paid glowing tribute to the late media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, describing him as a fearless innovator who challenged state monopoly of the media space during the military era.
“Dokpesi was a true icon of the Nigerian media. At a time when government controlled almost every channel of communication, he dared to build private radio and television stations. He was never afraid to speak truth to power, even in the most difficult times,” Sule said.
