November 18, (THEWILL) – The Presidency has berated former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, over his criticism of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration, labelling his criticism as mere market noise which deserves no attention.
Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, Sunday Dare, made the remarks in response to Obasanjo’s claim that the Tinubu-led administration is responsible for the current economic hardship and corruption in the country.
Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum in Yale University New Haven Connecticut, USA, on Saturday, Obasanjo who lamented the high corruption and growing economic hardship in the country blamed Tinubu, labelling him as Baba-go-slow and Emilokan.
Reacting on Monday, Dare maintained that Obasanjo lost any moral right to condemn the Tinubu’s administration, insisting that the country suffered mortal wounds during Obasanjo’s regime as he allegedly wasted $16 billion in generating megawatts of darkness across the nation.
The statement reads in part: “Former President Obasanjo is a man with a tremendous capacity for mischief and Nigerians know it. 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.
“It is actually laughable that Obasanjo’s pretentiousness about fighting corruption is not cutting any ice in the eyes of the general public.
“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 $16bn in generating megawatts of darkness across the nation.
“But that is not even the issue. 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.
“The Yoruba proverb, “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. This administration will stay focused in 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.
“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.”
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
