If there’s one thing that unites Nigerians across ethnic, religious, and political lines, it’s our collective anger towards politicians who have made life unbearable for the average citizen. 

Many of these politicians stole billions without shame, others turned the country into their personal ATM. A few even had the audacity to rule with an iron fist while ordinary Nigerians suffered.

These leaders are so terrible that their legacies are stained with the tears of the people they failed.

1. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ‘the Jagaban of suffering’

No Nigerian leader has ever been as universally loathed in such a record time as Tinubu. We’ll be right to say he’s the most hated president in living memory. 

Within months of his May 2023 inauguration, the “Renewed Hope” slogan became a cruel joke as he unleashed the most painful economic policies in decades. The overnight removal of fuel subsidies wasn’t just poorly executed, it was economic arson, instantly tripling transportation costs and skyrocketing food prices. 

Then came the naira devaluation that wiped out savings and crippled countless businesses. But what truly enrages Nigerians is the tone-deafness. Spending millions on the presidential jet while claiming “subsidy is gone”, or urging citizens to “endure suffering” while he globe-trots, feels like a slap in the face. And let’s not even get started on the billions in taxpayer money spent on solar power, while the rest of the country continues to endure epileptic power supply and constant grid collapses.

It’s quite unfortunate that Tinubu has somehow made Nigerians feel nostalgic for the Buhari years.  

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2. Muhammadu Buhari

When Buhari took office in 2015, Nigerians were desperate for change after Jonathan’s lacklustre administration. The “Sai Baba” movement wasn’t just political support, it was a national prayer for deliverance. 

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Citizens celebrated his victory with the hope that this time, things would be different. But within two years, that hope curdled into bitter regret. This was supposed to be the disciplined military general who would fix Nigeria, but instead became “Baba Go Slow”, a painfully ironic nickname for a man who moved at snail’s pace while Nigeria burned. 

Under his watch, insecurity spread like wildfire, with bandits operating like parallel governments in the Northwest. The economy nosedived into two recessions, yet his government kept borrowing until our debt profile ballooned to trillions of naira. 

By 2022, even his most ardent supporters couldn’t defend the unaffordable fuel prices, crumbling naira, and ASUU strikes that kept students home for eight months! When he left office in 2023, many Nigerians were relieved that his torturous eight years were over, not knowing the worst was yet to come.

3. Goodluck Jonathan

History might remember Jonathan kindly for conceding defeat in 2015, but Nigerians remember his presidency as an era of shocking incompetence. 

Here was a man who watched like a bystander as Boko Haram grew from a nuisance to a territorial force, kidnapping 276 Chibok girls under his nose while his government fumbled the response. 

We cannot forget his wife Patience’s infamous “There is God o!” outburst that perfectly captured the frustration of citizens watching their country being looted into the ground. 

By 2015, even his own people in the South-South had turned against him.

4. General Sani Abacha 

If evil had a face in Nigerian history, it would wear dark sunglasses and a military cap. General Sani Abacha wasn’t just a dictator; many have described him as a thief, a murderer, and a man who ruled with pure terror.

Under his regime (1993-1998), Nigeria became a global pariah. He executed activists like Ken Saro-Wiwa, jailed dissidents, and siphoned over $5 billion of public funds; money that could have built hospitals, schools, and roads.

His death in 1998 remains one of Nigeria’s biggest mysteries. Officially, he had a “sudden heart attack.” But rumours say he ate a poisoned apple. Some claim by a prostitute, others say by his own inner circle. Whatever the truth, nobody mourned when he died. In fact, many celebrated in the streets.

5. Ibrahim Babangida 

General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) was a smooth-talking dictator who ruled Nigeria from 1985 to 1993. He was charming, educated, and a master manipulator, hence his nickname “Maradona.”

He annulled the June 12, 1993 election, widely believed to have been won by MKO Abiola, and that single decision plunged Nigeria into chaos and delayed democracy for years.

He also introduced the infamous Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), which destroyed the economy and made life hell for ordinary Nigerians.

Honorable mention

Nyesom Wike

Nyesom Wike, a former Rivers State Governor and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), remains a deeply divisive figure in Nigerian politics. Although he is praised for notable infrastructural development, many Nigerians have expressed concerns over his leadership style and political decisions.

During the 2020 #EndSARS protests, Wike tried to prohibit demonstrations in Rivers State, a move widely condemned as undemocratic. He also sanctioned the demolition of two hotels accused of breaching COVID-19 protocols, drawing accusations of heavy-handedness. His administration’s arrest and detention of political opponent Farah Dagogo further fuelled criticism, as it was seen as a tactic to suppress dissent.

In 2019, Wike sparked controversy when he publicly declared Rivers a “Christian state.” This declaration was denounced by groups like the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which argued that it was divisive and violated Nigeria’s secular constitution.

Wike’s political decisions have also been viewed as self-serving. Though a member of the PDP, he backed the rival APC during the 2023 presidential race, prompting allegations of disloyalty. 

His eventual appointment as FCT Minister by the APC added to the backlash. Moreover, his strained relationship with his successor, Governor Fubara, and reported attempts to control his administration have heightened fears of political interference.

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Will Nigeria ever have good leaders?

Every election cycle, Nigerians perform the same painful ritual: we queue under the scorching sun, ink our fingers with hope, and whisper prayers that this time, things will be different. Yet, decades after independence, we remain trapped in a vicious cycle where each new leader somehow manages to outdo the last in disappointment.

The Progressive Voters’ Forum (PVF), a pro-All Progressives Congress (APC) group, has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for organising the APC’s inaugural National Summit.

Scheduled for Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the Presidential Villa’s Banquet Hall in Abuja, the summit themed ‘Renewed Hope Agenda: The Journey So Far’ will feature key APC stakeholders, including President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, state governors, and former APC leaders.

In a Sunday statement, PVF National Coordinator, Dr. Olusegun Kenneth, described the summit as a timely initiative to unify party leadership and reflect on the APC’s performance.

“This summit will afford APC leaders the opportunity to review the party’s performance, dialogue on how to move the country forward, and unite the party ahead of future elections,” he said.

Dr. Kenneth added that the summit will spotlight the Tinubu administration’s achievements that have been “underreported or ignored by opposition parties.”

Calling for constructive participation, he urged delegates to “engage in productive dialogue that will solidify our party and drive APC to victories in future elections.”

The PVF also called on Nigerians to support Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, claiming the administration has laid a “solid foundation” for economic recovery, infrastructure growth, and improved welfare.

“Prices are coming down, inflation is dropping, and results are beginning to show,” the statement claimed.

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai is facing a deepening political crisis as efforts to rebuild his career under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) continue to stall in the North-West and Southern parts of Nigeria.

Just two months after his high-profile defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), El-Rufai is struggling to attract major political figures to his new political platform.

Despite a flurry of behind-the-scenes meetings, influential politicians have largely rebuffed his efforts, leaving the SDP without a viable foothold in key northern states.

“He reached out to key players, especially governors and senators, but none gave him a positive response. Not even a state assembly member,” disclosed a source familiar with the discussions.

El-Rufai’s decline

El-Rufai’s political troubles began in 2023, when his nomination as a minister under President Bola Tinubu was derailed, reportedly due to a security report from the Department of State Services (DSS).

That development triggered a falling-out with the president he once strongly supported. On March 10, 2025, El-Rufai officially announced his resignation from the APC, citing a “misalignment between his values and the direction of the party.”

He pledged to turn the SDP into a formidable opposition force ahead of the 2027 elections. But early signs suggest his mission may be faltering.

In Kebbi State alone, efforts to woo prominent figures like Senators Adamu Aliero, Yahaya Abdullahi, and Garba Maidoki failed. All three reportedly reaffirmed loyalty to the APC. Even an overture to the Governor of Nasarawa State came up short.

“People simply don’t see the SDP led by El-Rufai as a viable alternative at this point,” one insider said.

The SDP’s national weakness further compounds El-Rufai’s dilemma. With only two lawmakers in the National Assembly, the party remains a marginal force.

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Tinubu’s ties with SDP

Some observers say the party’s historical ties to President Tinubu, who once ran under its platform in the 1990s, still cast a shadow.

“There’s a general perception in the North that the SDP still carries the legacy of President Tinubu… It’s a hard sell for El-Rufai,” said another source.

In the South, his image remains controversial due to his strong backing of the Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023.

“He’s seen as too polarising,” noted Adamu Maiyama, an APC chieftain from Kebbi.

Amid the setbacks, El-Rufai recently met with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. While Atiku reportedly urged him to return to the PDP, El-Rufai instead asked the former VP to join the SDP — a request that sources say was met with hesitation.