TheCable

The presidency has taken a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari.

In his new year message on Sunday, Obasanjo criticised the present administration under Buhari, adding that “the last seven and half years have turned out not to be the best” for Nigeria.

Responding in a statement on Monday, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson, said Obasanjo is jealous because Buhari is ahead of him in terms of national development.

Shehu also said Obasanjo does not possess the moral credibility to criticise the Buhari administration, adding that the former president “destabilised internal democracy” and “misused political power” when he was in office.

“One is that he will not stop attacking President Muhammadu Buhari because the former president won’t stop being jealous of anyone who beats him to a new record in the nation’s development process,” the statement reads.

“President Buhari is ahead of chief Obasanjo in all fields of national development and to do that is a cardinal sin to Obasanjo whose hallucinations tell him that he is the best ever to lead Nigeria and there will never be another one better than him.

“Having tried tenure elongation and failed, Obasanjo’s fictitious mind must be telling him that he is the one under attack. But he is not on President Buhari’s radar because experience has shown, especially lately in West Africa where there have been at least three successful coups and many other failed attempts, that third term or tenure elongation is a recipe for political instability. 

“As President, Obasanjo destabilised internal democracy by orchestrating impeachment after impeachment of governors who were not compliant with his highly imperial administration.

“As we said sometime back, Mr Obasanjo’s tenure, 1999-2007, represented the dark days of Nigeria’s democracy due to a slew of assaults on the constitution.”

Shehu also said unlike Obasanjo, Buhari has received praise from the international community for his achievements.

The presidential spokesperson also said Obasanjo’s criticism of the present administration is an exhibition of “selfishness”.

“On the other hand, in Washington a few weeks ago, the US President Joe Biden at a meeting with African Heads of States and Government described President Buhari as a champion of democracy and role model for the leaders of African states,” the statement reads.

“Clearly, Obasanjo has become even more jealous by adopting a vengeful attitude.

“Four, to say that “frying pan to fire” is the situation in Nigeria at this time should be read to mean a personal experience to him and we know what that means.

“‘Hell’ for Obasanjo is when a President, any President that comes after him refuses to be his own puppet, to do as he wishes on all matters and at all times. He then keeps attacking out of frustration.

‘Obasanjo’s vengeful attitude towards President Buhari is the height of selfishness and little short of moral squalor.”

Shehu also accused Obasanjo of “deceiving” the south-east to get votes for a second term in office.

“President Buhari just completed the world class edifice that is the Second Niger Bridge after three decades of failed promises. It is now awaiting commissioning,” he said.

“Obasanjo laid the sod for the bridge in his first term as elected President and work never started.

“When he sought re-election for his second term in office, he returned to the site to turn the sod for the bridge the second time. When the Obi of Onitsha, forthright and scholarly, reminded him that he had done this in the past, Obasanjo told the foremost Southeast traditional ruler that he was a liar, in the full presence of the Chiefs and Oracles in his palace.

“Obasanjo lied to the Southeast to get their votes. President Buhari didn’t get their votes but built the bridge because he believed it is the right thing to do.”