Kehinde Fajobi
Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communication and Orientation, has lambasted former President Olusegun Obasanjo, urging him to apologise to Nigerians for what he described as failed leadership during his administration.
In a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Dare criticised Obasanjo’s recent comments at Yale University, where he described Nigeria as a “failing state” under Tinubu’s administration.
He accused the former president of presiding over the “most corrupt government” in Nigeria’s history and questioned his moral authority to condemn any government.
“Former President Obasanjo is a man with a tremendous capacity for mischief, and Nigerians know it,” Dare stated.
“His journey along the path of hallucinations has never been in doubt. So is his descent into muddling facts, forgetting that he ran a presidency on record as the most corrupt. His recent diatribe at Yale University lacks sincerity.”
Dare said it was laughable for Obasanjo to present himself as a champion of anti-corruption, citing the unresolved $16 billion allegedly spent on electricity projects during his tenure.
“We all know what happened under his watch and how, up till the present moment, there has been no explanation as to how he wasted a whopping $16 billion in generating megawatts of darkness across the nation. But that is not even the issue.”
He further accused Obasanjo of inflicting damage on Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through his failed third-term bid.
“Democracy suffered mortal wounds under his watch; only capped by his murderous rage for an ill-fated 3rd term.
“Successive administrations struggled to clean up the mess Obasanjo left behind, which President Tinubu is now making progress with. Obasanjo has lost any moral right to condemn any government.
“He should apologise to Nigerians for not laying the foundational infrastructure Nigeria needed to advance.”
Dare dismissed Obasanjo’s remarks as “market noise,” stating, “A Yoruba proverb is ‘A o ki n wo ariwo oja, eniti a anba na oja ni a n wo.’
“This means that you shouldn’t pay heed to the market’s noise. Rather, keep an eye on the person you are negotiating with. This is instructive.
“In this market called Nigeria, the man with the renewed hope agenda is the one that matters and, indeed, Nigerians. Everything else is ariwo oja.”
Obasanjo had, during his speech at Yale University, criticised Tinubu’s administration, stating, “The failing state status of Nigeria is confirmed and glaringly indicated for all to see.”
He also called for the dismissal of INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu and a comprehensive reform of the commission.
“As a matter of urgency, we must ensure the INEC Chairperson and their staff are thoroughly vetted. The vetting exercise should produce dispassionate, non-partisan actors with impeccable reputations.
“Nigeria must ensure the appointment of new credible INEC leadership at the federal, state, local government, and municipal – city, town, and village – levels, with short tenures to prevent undesirable political influence and corruption, and to re-establish trust in the electoral system by its citizens,” Obasanjo said.
Dare countered these assertions by highlighting Tinubu’s efforts to address Nigeria’s challenges.
“This administration will stay focused on bringing relief to Nigerians. Obasanjo’s remarks reflect the infantilist nature of market noise. President Tinubu will stay the course in seeing through the reforms he has instituted for a better Nigeria.
“The point here is that Obasanjo should take time off this habit of pulling down leaders, especially his successors, and try to interrogate himself on how he has contributed to the parlous state of the Nigerian nation which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now spiritedly battling to put back on the track of development.”
He concluded by acknowledging Obasanjo’s statement on hope, saying, “We thank former President Obasanjo for agreeing that ‘Yes, there is hope.’
“That’s the Renewed Hope Agenda President Tinubu is about, and it’s on track. We are happy to have that conversation with the former president.”