TheCable

The presidency on Sunday accused Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s former president, of misleading Nigerians on the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Obasanjo had rated the current administration “below average” while fielding questions at the Ake Book and Arts festival in Abeokuta on Friday.

But in his reaction, Doyin Okupe, the senior special assistant to the president on public affairs, alleged that Jonathan’s achievements were far above that of Obasanjo and all other past presidents of Nigeria.

“Our attention has been drawn to comments made by a former president of this country, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, regarding the performance of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan,” Okupe said in a statement.

“We aver that Chief Obasanjo’s comments are untrue, misleading and clearly do not tally with the facts on the ground.

“We therefore wish to assert without equivocation that in terms of performance and achievements, no administration since 1960 when Nigeria gained independence from Britain, has done as much as that of President Jonathan. Every discerning and unbiased Nigerian will definitely attest to this fact as the evidence stare all of us in the face.”

Okupe admitted that the present level of insurgency is alarming but added that the government was not relenting in its effort to tackle insecurity.

“While it is true that the present activities of the terrorists in the three northeastern states have become deadlier in mindless killings, kidnappings and supposed territorial seizures, it is also true the Jonathan administration has successfully contained the initial wide spread and limitless activities of the insurgents, which were prevalent in twelve states of the North including the federal capital, Abuja.

“Government has made giant diplomatic strides with our neighboring countries in order to checkmate the crisscrossing of the insurgents.”