The ruling All Progressives Congress has criticized former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s remarks concerning the current administration’s handling of ongoing reforms and the coup d’état in Niger Republic.
Obasanjo had voiced his disapproval of President Bola Tinubu’s actions regarding the removal of subsidy from petroleum products and the floating of the naira.
Over the past months, there has been widespread discontent among the populace due to the escalating costs of food items and inflation following the removal of fuel subsidy and the naira’s floatation under the Tinubu government.
In a statement released to the press on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo stated that while the policies initiated by Tinubu were necessary, their implementation had been flawed.
The former President made these remarks in Abuja over the weekend at a colloquium titled: “Nigeria’s Development: Navigating the Way Out of the Current Economic Crisis and Insecurity.”
“Today, the government has taken three decisions, two of which are necessary but wrongly implemented and have led to the impoverishment of the economy and of Nigerians. These are the removal of subsidy, closing the gap between the black market and official rates of exchange and the third is dealing with a military coup in Niger Republic,” Obasanjo said.
This marks the first instance of Obasanjo openly criticizing Tinubu, whom he did not endorse for the presidency.
However, in response on Monday, the APC National Director, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed Obasanjo’s comments, labelling him as a serial critic.
Ibrahim expressed concern that the former President might be displaying signs of old age.
“As a Nigerian and someone who respects Obasanjo, I think senility is beginning to come in. Obasanjo is beginning to manifest the symptoms.
“Ever since he lost the bid to have a third term in office, he has consistently attacked every regime that comes after him. He sees himself as the only one who meant well for Nigeria from independence to date. He thinks he is the best and every other leader is bad. And this is not good for a statesman. Nobody has a monopoly on knowledge or style of leadership.
“Obasanjo has been consistent in his criticisms of people in leadership positions apart from himself. So, this is not an isolated case. President Bola Tinubu is not the first to be attacked by Obasanjo. Buhari and Jonathan were also victims of his criticisms. He himself did not fare better when he was the leader. In fact, Obasanjo superintended the balkanization of the Nigerian economy.
“How can he say someone who is trying to put the economy on a better pedestal is not doing the right thing? I am not a spokesman for Tinubu. Even though the party has discussed him to my knowledge, I practically feel Obasanjo has erred as he has always been doing.”
