By HEADLINENEWS.NEWS correspondent
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly criticized former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s remarks about the current administration’s handling of ongoing reforms and the recent coup d’état in Niger Republic. Obasanjo had expressed his disapproval of President Bola Tinubu’s implementation of the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira.
In recent months, Nigerians have been grappling with rising costs of food items and heightened inflation, which many attribute to these economic policies. Despite acknowledging the necessity of these reforms, Obasanjo argued that they were executed poorly.
Obasanjo’s criticisms were conveyed through a statement released on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi. He asserted that while the policies initiated by Tinubu were essential, their implementation left much to be desired. Obasanjo’s comments have sparked a significant response from the APC, defending the current administration’s approach and decisions.
The APC’s rebuttal of Obasanjo’s criticism highlights the ongoing political debate in Nigeria over the direction and effectiveness of the government’s economic strategies amid widespread public discontent.
The ex-President, according to the statement, spoke in Abuja at the weekend at a colloquium tagged: “Nigeria’s Development: Navigating the Way Out of the Current Economic Crisis and Insecurity.”
“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.
It was the first time he would be openly criticising Tinubu, whom he did not support to become President.
But reacting on Monday, the APC National Director, Bala Ibrahim, faulted Obasanjo, whom he described as a serial critic.
Ibrahim said that he feared the former President might be manifesting signs of old age.
He said, “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 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.”
