The presidency has reacted to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s claim that President Bola Tinubu came into office without a plan.
Temitope Ajayi, Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, stated that Obasanjo sees himself as Nigeria’s sole saviour.
Ajayi pointed out that President Tinubu is implementing bold economic reform programs initiated by Obasanjo but abandoned midway.
He noted that Obasanjo’s administration opened the economy and implemented essential reforms, but his messianic complex makes him believe he’s the only good leader Nigeria has had.
In a post on his X handle, Ajayi referenced Obasanjo’s interview with News Central Television, where he made the comment about President Tinubu lacking a plan. Ajayi argued that this criticism is hypocritical, given Obasanjo’s own incomplete initiatives.
Ajayi wrote: “A video of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s interview with News Central Television has been trending on social media platforms for the past week.
“In the interview, the former President, in a veiled reference to the current administration, said Nigeria has a President who came into office without a plan.
“Yet, the same ‘planless’ president is implementing a bold economic reform programme that Obasanjo initiated and abandoned mid-way.
“Despite his foibles and messianic complex, former President Obasanjo is no doubt a remarkable leader. His administration opened the economy and implemented essential reforms that his immediate successor should have continued with.
“What most critics find offensive about the former president is how he sees himself as the only saviour God created for Nigeria. As far as he is concerned, no other leader before and after him has been good enough.
“For context and clarity, it is essential to recall the former president’s position on deregulating the downstream oil sector when he was in charge.”