As usual, APC ignores valid points Obasanjo raised, dismisses him as senile
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has come in for raps from the All Progressives Congress (APC) for saying Bola Tinubu has introduced certain “necessary but wrongly implemented” policies in his one year as President.
APC National Director Bala Ibrahim described Obasanjo, 87, as a serial critic and a geriatric manifesting signs of old age – without providing verifiable facts that address the very pertinent issues the man raised.
Obasanjo had knocked Tinubu’s implementation of the removal of fuel subsidy, floating the naira, and the military coup in Niger Republic.
“Today, the government has taken three decisions, two of which are necessary but wrongly implemented and have led to the impoverisation 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,” Obasanjo said in a statement issued through his Media Assistant Kehinde Akinyemi.
The statement was Obasanjo’s first open criticism of Tinubu on the job.
“As a Nigerian and someone who respects Obasanjo, I think senility is beginning to come in. Obasanjo is beginning to manifest the symptoms,” Ibrahim said in his reaction, per The PUNCH.
“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 monopoly on knowledge or style of leadership.
“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.
“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.”
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