The otherwise noisy aides and attack dogs of the Presidency and stalwarts of the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) have been struck dumb by the truth in former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s rebuke of their boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, telling him, as a failure, not to seek re-election in 2019.
In a damning statement, Mr Obasanjo blasted Buhari for the worsening economic situation in the country, “clannishness” and his inability to take responsibility for the failings of his administration.
According to the former president, both the ruling APC and the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lack the ingredient to salvage the country.
He therefore advocated for a another political movement, which he christened Coalition for Nigeria, to oust the present political class and save the country from an impending doom.
Frowning on the scandalous recall of former pension task force head, Abduralsheed Maina to public service, Obasanjo accused Mr. Buhari of nepotism and inability to instill discipline “in his nepotistic court”.
The manner of the recall stank of “collusion, condonation, ineptitude, incompetence, dereliction of responsibility or kinship and friendship on the part of those who should have taken visible and deterrent disciplinary action,” he said.
In Obasanjo’s view, Buhari has a “poor understanding” of Nigeria’s social-political dynamics, saying his leadership has widened division and inequality in the country.
This has effect on general national security, the former president added.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Mr Buhari has refused to pick calls. He is yet to answer messages sent to him for his reaction on Obasanjo’s resounding admonition.
The APC had said it could not comment on the statement.
“The situation is that APC does not have a response at this time,” said Bolaji Abdullahi, the spokesperson for the party. “Maybe if we are given the opportunity to study the letter more closely, we will have a response.”
Majority of Nigerians share Obasanjo’s frustrations and disapprove of Buhari’s leadership. Under his watch, the country is now an abattoir, with daily killings of innocent people across the country by herdsmen and cultists.
This apart, the times are severely harsh for the commonplace people, with children going to bed on empty stomach – the dream of a fair country with Buhari as president has been shattered.
Read full text of Obasanjo’s clarion call here
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