Presidency Slams Obasanjo, Demands Apology For Alleged Failures During His Administration

The presidency on Monday criticized former President Olusegun Obasanjo, urging him to apologize to Nigerians for his administration's alleged failures, instead of criticizing other governments.

In a statement, the presidency disagreed with Obasanjo's call for the removal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmood Yakubu over his handling of the 2023 election, which the former president called a disaster.

Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga said that former President Obasanjo had no moral right to criticize the INEC, as he had overseen what Onanuga called "the most fraudulent election in Nigeria since 1960."

The presidency's statement came just one day after Obasanjo claimed during his speech at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University in the United States that Nigeria was a "failed state" because of the policies of leaders such as former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu, as the country entered into a state of chaos, insecurity and underdevelopment.

Onanuga described it as hypocrisy for Obasanjo to demand the removal of INEC's leadership, given his role in a flawed election. He also mentioned that after spending billions of naira on a failed third-term bid in 2007, Obasanjo quickly arranged a problematic election, which became known as the most fraudulent in Nigeria's history.

He noted that the winner of that election, Umaru Yar'adua, later admitted it was deeply flawed, following which they worked on reforms, as recommended by Justice Muhammed Uwais' panel.

In his recent criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he referred to as "Baba Go Slow," and President Bola Tinubu, whom he called "Emilokan," Obasanjo used the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University to share his views on leadership and public morality. He also declared Nigeria a failing country.

However, the presidency's statement pointed out the irony of Obasanjo using a platform that honors Achebe to speak about good governance, statecraft, economic management, and corruption. It added that Chinua Achebe, when he was alive, was widely respected as a moral, cultural, and literary icon, who had little regard for Obasanjo.

The Presidency also highlighted the unconstitutional impeachment of four Peoples Democratic Party governors -- Joshua Dariye of Plateau, Rasheed Ladoja of Oyo, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti, and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa.

"A man under whose watch all of these egregious infractions occurred should certainly not be the one to give any lecture on leadership and corruption," the statement mentioned. "He should not be taken seriously as he reeks of profound hypocrisy of the worst form."

However, the People's Democratic Party, Labour Party, and New Nigeria Peoples Party supported Obasanjo on the issues of corruption, the need for electoral reform, and other points he raised during his speech.