Former Minister of External Affairs, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, has lambasted former president Olusegun Obasanjo for recommending a candidate for Nigerians in the 2023 presidential election.
Akinyemi lashed out at Obasanjo while speaking on the 2023 presidential election and endorsement of the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics.
Obasanjo had endorsed Obi ahead of the February presidential election in a new year message on Sunday titled, “My appeal to all Nigerians particularly Young Nigerians.”
He had noted that none of the presidential candidates is a saint, but when compared in terms of knowledge, discipline and what they can offer, Obi has an edge.
But Akinyemi said Obasanjo was among those who put Nigeria in its current predicament, charging him to go home and rest like other leaders who have done their terms and are not meddling in the country’s politics anymore.
He said, “Don’t let us spend this programme on Gen Obasanjo’s letter or ideas because some of us believe he also is part of the foundation of the problems that we have in this country.
“One of the things that I have said is once you have occupied that post of president and you have served your term, please go home and be like Gen [Yakubu] Gowon, be like Gen Abdulsalami [Abubakar], just be quiet…and let others get on.
“But for you to create a problem for us and then you come back and present yourself as a problem solver, I find it difficult to swallow.
“I know some people say ‘ignore the messenger and just focus on the message’. I’m sorry, I am a political scientist, that doesn’t rob with me.”