In a strongly worded statement, the Presidency has rebuked former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent lecture at Yale University’s Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum, where he criticized successive administrations, including those of Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Obasanjo, known for his outspoken opinions, had labeled Nigeria a failing state and took swipes at Tinubu’s “Emilokan” narrative and Buhari’s governance approach.
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused Obasanjo of hypocrisy and failure to address fundamental issues during his tenure. Highlighting the irony of using the Achebe Forum to discuss governance, Onanuga reminded Nigerians of Chinua Achebe’s open disdain for Obasanjo’s leadership. Achebe notably rejected a national honor under Obasanjo’s administration in 2004, citing corruption and abuse of power.
Onanuga listed numerous controversies from Obasanjo’s tenure, including allegations of corruption in the $16 billion power project, scandals surrounding the privatisation of public assets, and constitutional breaches such as the impeachment of state governors by minority lawmakers. He also pointed to the infamous third-term agenda, which was widely condemned as an attempt to undermine democracy.
“Obasanjo’s administration is remembered for fostering corruption, electoral fraud, and the militarisation of politics,” Onanuga said, adding that current economic and security challenges have roots in unresolved issues from the Obasanjo era.
The Presidency further accused Obasanjo of mismanaging Nigeria’s oil wealth and neglecting infrastructure development during a period of high crude oil prices. Comparisons were drawn to subsequent administrations under Buhari and Tinubu, which Onanuga argued made significant strides in modernizing Nigeria’s security forces and addressing key economic challenges.
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Critics of the statement have called it a deflection from the current administration’s struggles, but supporters see it as a necessary rebuttal to what they describe as Obasanjo’s pattern of deflecting responsibility.
The statement concluded with a suggestion for Obasanjo to spend his remaining years reflecting on missed opportunities during his time in power instead of critiquing others.
