The Presidency has strongly rebuked former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly regarding alleged corruption and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Obasanjo, in his newly released book, Nigeria: Past and Future, criticized the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar highway project, describing it as wasteful and corrupt. He also lambasted the Tinubu administration for allocating N21 billion to build a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, calling it a misplaced priority and a means to siphon public funds.
The former president also accused the previous administration of Muhammadu Buhari of fostering corruption on an unprecedented scale, stating that Tinubu’s government appears to be following the same path and may even surpass Buhari’s record.
Presidency Defends Tinubu, Calls Obasanjo’s Claims Baseless
In response, the Presidency dismissed Obasanjo’s assertions, with Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, defending the Lagos-Calabar highway as a visionary legacy project with immense economic benefits.
The coastal road will be one of the best infrastructure projects ever undertaken by any Nigerian president, Dare said during an interview on Television Continental. “When the Lekki-Epe corridor was first proposed, many doubted its viability. Today, it has become one of the most economically vibrant areas in the country. The Lagos-Calabar highway will bring similar transformation.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, also took to social media, accusing Obasanjo of hypocrisy.
Former President Obasanjo seems to see himself as the only Nigerian who knows what is best for the country. If, as president for eight years, he couldn’t fix the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Lagos-Abeokuta road, we can’t take his latest views seriously, Ajayi posted on X.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, further defended the coastal highway project, insisting that it is neither corrupt nor unnecessary.
It is normal for people to criticize, but the Lagos-Calabar road is a game-changer, Umahi said during a press briefing in Akure.We have completed about 70% of the groundwork, and by next year, the first section will be ready. Those criticizing should wait and see the impact.
Obasanjo’s Broader Critique of Buhari and Tinubu
Obasanjo’s book also took aim at Buhari’s administration, calling it “the worst in Nigeria’s democratic history and accusing Buhari of enabling corruption through his Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
The most atrocious waste and corruption took place under Buhari, with the active support of Malami, Obasanjo wrote. Tinubu’s government, so far, seems to be on the same path, with the mentality of It is my turn to chop.
While Buhari has yet to respond to the allegations, Malami dismissed the claims as baseless, arguing that Obasanjo himself had faced similar accusations in the past.
A History of Infrastructure Failures?
Presidential aides also used the opportunity to highlight what they described as Obasanjo’s failure to improve Nigeria’s infrastructure during his own presidency.
Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, questioned why Obasanjo neglected key projects like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway during his tenure.
He had eight years to fix Nigeria’s infrastructure and did nothing significant, Olusegun wrote on X. It took Buhari just three years to deliver the first modern rail through Abeokuta, Obasanjo’s own backyard.
A Growing Rift Between Nigerian Leaders:
Obasanjo’s public criticism and the Presidency’s sharp response highlight the widening political divide between Nigeria’s past and present leaders. While the former president warns of escalating corruption and misgovernance, the Tinubu administration remains firm in its defense, dismissing his critiques as politically motivated.
As Nigeria faces economic challenges, the debate over government priorities, corruption, and infrastructure spending is likely to continue shaping public discourse in the months ahead.
