Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president, has unleashed a scathing attack on Muhammadu Buhari, his successor, calling his government the worst in Nigeria’s democratic history. Obasanjo criticizes the Buhari administration’s policies and actions in his recently published book, Nigeria: Past and Future, charging it with widespread corruption and poor leadership. Additionally, he voiced concern that President Bola Tinubu’s present administration might be following in his footsteps.
Obasanjo’s book’s opening chapter is especially damaging because it contains scathing accusations of the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, which he describes as a corrupt and wasteful endeavor.
Additionally, he criticized the N21 billion spent on building Vice President Kashim Shettima a new official mansion, claiming it was a misplaced priority, particularly during a difficult economic period. These acts, according to Obasanjo, are representative of the current administration’s shortsightedness and corruption.
The contentious Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and the new official mansion for the vice president, which was built at a cost of N21 billion during a period of economic hardship, are prime examples of waste, corruption, and misaligned priorities. Obasanjo remarked, “These projects appear to be more about showing off than addressing the real needs of the country, and the President has largely ignored them in spite of public outcry.”
The former president was unreserved in his condemnation of Buhari’s record, highlighting the massive corruption that occurred during his leadership with the help of Attorney General Abubakar Malami. Buhari’s administration, according to Obasanjo, was characterized by “atrocious waste,” the entrenchment of corruption, and the suppression of anti-graft initiatives.
“Under President Buhari’s leadership, with the strong support of his Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, the most egregious waste and corruption occurred,” Obasanjo said.
“Given what we’ve seen in the first two years of President Tinubu’s administration, it looks like the same transactional politics are at play, and the slogan seems to be ‘It’s my turn to chop,'” he continued, implying that Tinubu’s administration might even be more prone to misgovernance than Buhari’s.
The pardons given to former governors Jolly Nyame of Taraba State and Joshua Dariye of Plateau State, who were found guilty of embezzling public funds, were also harshly chastised by Obasanjo. He called the judgment a setback to the battle against corruption and a huge letdown for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), attributing it to Malami’s influence.
He said the acts demoralized officials fighting corruption by sending a clear message that it would not be held accountable.
The former president continued by describing how Buhari’s activities as a military officer in 1983 had denounced election irregularities, corruption, and poor management, which prompted him to defend a coup against Shehu Shagari’s government. But when Buhari took power in 2015, Obasanjo noted that his administration fell short of those promises. Obasanjo remarked, “Buhari’s presidency turned out to be the worst civil administration in Nigeria’s history, despite his earlier statements in 1983.”
Obasanjo also discussed Nigeria’s history of poor leadership in the book, attributing the nation’s stagnation to self-interest, poor governance, and corruption.
He lamented that while military and civilian governments have consistently acknowledged these problems, they had done little to bring about significant reform.
The Buhari administration’s side has responded defensively, as was to be anticipated. Obasanjo’s critique of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was disputed by Sunday Dare, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, who described it as a visionary initiative with significant economic potential. He compared it to Obasanjo’s alleged inability to finish significant infrastructure projects, like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, during his own presidency.
Dare insisted that the Lagos-Calabar highway would be among the most revolutionary infrastructure projects in Nigeria’s history once it was completed, while also pointing out how the previous government struggled to finish the Lagos-Abeokuta road and other important projects.
The highway project was also defended by Works Minister David Umahi, who said that it was already 70% complete and advised critics to “follow the road” if they were not fully informed. He said the initiative would eventually benefit Nigeria economically and asked Nigerians to ignore the skeptics.
Hadi Sirika, the former minister of aviation, was chastised by Obasanjo for his negligent handling of the Nigeria Air project. According to him, Sirika spent billions of naira on an Ethiopian Airlines plane and painted it in Nigerian colors as a “parting gift,” but the investment had no significant results. Obasanjo claims that Sirika’s actions are a stark example of the corruption that persisted under Buhari’s rule.
A heated debate has been triggered by Obasanjo’s accusations, with Tinubu’s administration defending its policies and the initiatives it believes are crucial to Nigeria’s long-term progress. Obasanjo’s observations on Nigeria’s history of leadership have generated debate, but they also draw attention to the ongoing difficulties the nation has in combating corruption and guaranteeing efficient governance.
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