The Tinubu-led administration has hit back at former President Olusegun Obasanjo, accusing him of having no moral authority to criticize the current government. The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Public Communication and Orientation, Sunday Dare, described Obasanjo as a man known for mischief and a history of questionable leadership.
In response to Obasanjo's recent criticism of President Tinubu's leadership during a lecture at Yale University, Dare did not hold back. He called out the former president for what he termed "pretentiousness" about fighting corruption, citing Obasanjo’s administration as one marred by significant scandals.
"Former President Obasanjo is a man with a tremendous capacity for mischief, and Nigerians know it. His tendency to distort facts is well-documented. Under his watch, corruption thrived, and democracy suffered grave wounds. His comments at Yale University are nothing but insincere diatribes," Dare remarked.
Dare highlighted the controversial $16 billion power project during Obasanjo's tenure, which, he alleged, left the nation with "megawatts of darkness" instead of stable electricity. "There has never been an explanation for how that colossal sum was spent, leaving Nigerians in the dark—literally and figuratively," Dare said, adding that Obasanjo’s anti-corruption efforts lacked credibility in the eyes of the public.
The presidency further accused Obasanjo of inflicting severe damage on Nigeria's democracy, pointing to his failed third-term agenda. According to Dare, the fallout from Obasanjo’s administration left successive governments struggling to undo the harm done to the nation's political and economic systems.
“His obsession with a third term was a monumental blunder, and it nearly derailed our democratic progress. President Tinubu is now tasked with cleaning up the mess Obasanjo left behind, and for that, he has no moral ground to criticize any administration," Dare asserted.
Defending his principal, Dare emphasized that President Tinubu is working tirelessly to restore Nigeria's development trajectory. "Rather than tearing down his successors, Obasanjo should reflect on his role in Nigeria’s challenges and acknowledge the strides this administration is making to rebuild the nation," he concluded.
