APC comes for former President Olusegun Obasanjo

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticized former President Olusegun Obasanjo on his recent remarks on the current administration’s handling of economic reforms and the coup d’état in Niger Republic.

Obasanjo had expressed disapproval of President Bola Tinubu’s implementation of the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira.

In recent months, Nigerians have felt the pinch of rising food prices and inflation, exacerbated by the Tinubu administration’s economic policies. Obasanjo, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, highlighted these issues during a colloquium in Abuja titled “Nigeria’s Development: Navigating the Way Out of the Current Economic Crisis and Insecurity.”

Obasanjo stated,

“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.”

This marked Obasanjo’s first public criticism of Tinubu, whom he did not support for the presidency. However, on Monday, APC National Director Bala Ibrahim responded, describing Obasanjo as a habitual critic who might be showing signs of senility.

According to what Punch quotes Ibrahim as saying,

“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.”

Ibrahim further noted that Obasanjo’s criticisms were not unique to Tinubu, pointing out that former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan were also targets of Obasanjo’s disapproval.

“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 balkanisation of the Nigerian economy.”

Ibrahim questioned Obasanjo’s authority to critique Tinubu’s efforts to improve the 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.”