TheCable

Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo says Nigerian economy is as bad as it was under former military head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, who ruled the country from 1993 to 1998.

Obasanjo, whose letter to President Goodluck Jonathan last year blew open their cold war, was speaking with market women who asked him to give them direction on who to vote for in 2015.

Jonathan is expected to seek re-election next year.

Obasanjo said the middle class has been wiped out “as it was under Abacha” and illustrated his statement by reading a text message for help sent to him by a Nigerian.

“I told him we experienced this at the time of Abacha, the middle class was completely destroyed.

“I was surprised the day a colonel in the army came to me complaining that he and his family could not afford to buy a car.

“A friend, Dr. Okoro, was a medical doctor, his wife was also a medical doctor and they have a daughter who is also a medical doctor, but they could not afford a new car, and had to go to Saudi Arabia,” he said.