Politics

Obasanjo Attacking Buhari Out Of Frustration, Presidency Claims

Published

3 years ago

January 4, 2023

…Says former President lied to garner southeast votes

…Obasanjo administration dark days for Nigeria

The Presidency, on Monday, said former President Olusegun Obasanjo is verbally attacking the Buhari regime “out of frustration.”

It also described Obasanjo’s attitude to the President as “vengeful”.

“‘Hell’ for Obasanjo is when a President, any President that comes after him refuses to be his own puppet, to do as he wishes on all matters and at all times.

“He then keeps attacking out of frustration. Obasanjo’s vengeful attitude towards President Buhari is the height of selfishness and little short of moral squalor,” the Presidency said in a statement signed by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

The statement is titled Morally squalid Obasanjo attacks leaders out of frustration.

Shehu’s statement comes barely 24 hours after Obasanjo described the Buhari-led government as “hell on earth” for Nigerians.

In his new year message, the former President said under Buhari, “Nigeria of today had been dragged down well below Nigeria of the beginning of my Presidency in June 1999.”

While formally endorsing the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi for the February 25 election, Obasanjo also urged young Nigerians to ride on the next elections and take their destiny into their hands.

But in its reaction, the Presidency argued that Obasanjo lacked the adequate moral authority to berate the Buhari regime on four grounds.

“President Buhari is ahead of Chief Obasanjo in all fields of national development and to do that is a cardinal sin to Obasanjo whose hallucinations tell him that he is the best ever to lead Nigeria and there will never be another one better than him.

“President Buhari just completed the world-class edifice that is the Second Niger Bridge after three decades of failed promises. It is now awaiting commissioning. Obasanjo laid the sod for the bridge in his first term as elected President and work never started.

“When he sought re-election for his second term in office, he returned to the site to turn the sod for the bridge the second time. When the Obi of Onitsha, forthright and scholarly, reminded him that he had done this in the past, Obasanjo told the foremost Southeast traditional ruler that he was a liar, in the full presence of the Chiefs and Oracles in his palace.

“Obasanjo lied to the Southeast to get their votes. President Buhari didn’t get their votes but built the bridge because he believed it is the right thing to do,” the statement read in part.

Second, the Presidency said Buhari has been stating and restating that he will supervise a better election than the one that brought him to the office and to leave as and when due.

It explained that “Having tried tenure elongation and failed, Obasanjo’s fictitious mind must be telling him that he is the one under attack.

“But he is not on President Buhari’s radar because experience has shown, especially lately in West Africa where there have been at least three successful coups and many other failed attempts, that third term or tenure elongation is a recipe for political instability.

“Furthermore, the totality of African leaders appointed President Buhari the Anti-Corruption Champion of the continent.

“You can’t be an anti-corruption champion if ‘you meddled and bent the rules,’ carrying the putrid responsibility of what happened to national assets in the name of privatization as documented by the Nigerian Senate in 2011.”

Shehu cited several national assets such as Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria which was set up with $3.2bn and sold to a Russian firm, Russal, for $130m; Delta Steel, which was set up in 2005, at a cost of $1.5bn, was sold to Global Infrastructure for $30m.

He also noted that ALSCON got back $120m for the dredging of the Imo River, which was never carried out.

Third, the Shehu said Buhari’s rising profile as the Champion of Democracy at home, in West Africa and Africa-wide, must be unsettling for Obasanjo who “destabilised internal democracy by orchestrating impeachment after impeachment of governors who were not compliant with his highly imperial administration.”

“As we said sometime back, Mr Obasanjo’s tenure, 1999-2007, represented the dark days of Nigeria’s democracy due to a slew of assaults on the constitution.

“The former president deployed federal machinery to remove governors Joshua Dariye, Rashidi Ladoja, Peter Obi, Chris Ngige and Ayo Fayose from office.

“They were the then governors of Plateau, Oyo, Anambra, Anambra and Ekiti, respectively, unjustly removed using the police and secret service under his control,” Shehu argued.

It said under the Peoples Democratic Party, lawmaking powers of the Rivers State legislature were transferred to the federal parliament to punish Governor Amaechi for shifting his political alliance.

By contrast, the Presidency said “In Washington a few weeks ago, the US President Joe Biden at a meeting with African Heads of States and Government described President Buhari as a champion of democracy and role model for the leaders of African states.

“Clearly, Obasanjo has become even more jealous by adopting a vengeful attitude.”

Fourth, Shehu said Obasanjo’s aphorism of Nigeria moving from “frying pan to fire” under Buhari should be read as a personal experience for the former President.

“‘Hell for Obasanjo is when a President, any President that comes after him refuses to be his own puppet, to do as he wishes on all matters and at all times.

“He then keeps attacking out of frustration.

“Obasanjo’s vengeful attitude towards President Buhari is the height of selfishness and little short of moral squalor,” said the Presidency.

Related Topics:#Obasanjo #Presidency Buhari Garba Shehu

Up Next

Anti-Buhari Letter: Presidency Lambasts Obasanjo, Says Ex-president Govt Corrupt

Don't Miss

Obasanjo, Clark’s Obi Endorsement Road To Tinubu’s Victory – Keyamo

Comments

Politics

Bayelsa Deputy Gov Sues Assembly Over Impeachment Plot

Published

6 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Bayelsa State House of Assembly over an alleged plan to impeach him.

In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/221/2025, Ewhrudjakpo alleged that members of the Assembly were under pressure to remove him from office because he refused to resign from the Peoples Democratic Party, the platform on which he and Governor Douye Diri were elected.

While Governor Diri recently resigned from the PDP, Ewhrudjakpo has remained in the party.

Through his counsel, Reuben Egwuaba, the deputy governor also claimed that some local government chairpersons, including Alice Tange of Sagbama LGA, were being threatened with removal for similarly refusing to defect from the PDP alongside the governor.

Ewhrudjakpo is seeking several interim orders, including one restraining the state Assembly from initiating or conducting any impeachment proceedings against him for remaining in the PDP.

He argued that any such move would contravene sections 188(5)-(9), (11) and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He is also asking the court to restrain the assembly from recognising or dealing with any member of the All Progressives Congress as the deputy governor of Bayelsa State.

Additionally, Ewhrudjakpo wants an order stopping the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, and the Bayelsa State Attorney-General from withdrawing his security protection pending the determination of the motion on notice.

After hearing Egwuaba’s ex parte motion on October 27 — a copy of the certified true copy dated October 29, was sighted by our correspondent on Thursday — Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the defendants to appear before the court to show cause why the interim orders sought by the plaintiff should not be granted.

The defendants listed in the suit are the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, its Speaker, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Bayelsa State Attorney-General, the State Chief Judge, and the Clerk of the Assembly.

Justice Nwite ruled that the interest of justice would be best served by directing all the defendants to appear and show cause before the court decides on the interim injunction.

The case was adjourned until November 13 for the defendants to show cause, after which the court will proceed to hear the motion on notice.

Politics

APC Chieftain, Owolabi, Hails Gov Oyebanji’s Emergency As Gubernatorial Candidate

Published

1 day ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), in Ekiti State, Mr. Dare Owolabi, has commended the leadership of the party for the endorsement of the incumbent Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) as the APC governorship candidate for the Ekiti State gubernatorial election slated for 2026.

Mr. Owolabi, a senatorial hopefully for the Ekiti North Senatorial District, gave the commendation when he hosted leaders and members of the APC to a grand reception at his residence in Odo Oro Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area of the state, to celebrate Governor Oyebanji’s affirmation as the APC flag bearer for the forthcoming Ekiti guber race.

The reception attended by over a thousand APC members and supporters in Ikole Local Government Area, was canivalesque as party members and supporters made merriments and were treated to victory dances.

Speaking at the reception, Owolabi, a philanthropist and community leader, said that with the way and manner the APC laid to rest the stormy issue of the party’s governorship nomination, the APC had demonstrated that “it is on a good stead to win the coming governorship election convincingly.”

While commending the leadership of the ApC in Ekiti State and at the national levels for the uncommon ability to weather stormy times, Owolabi reiterated that the sterling performances of Governor Oyebanji were testimonies that the governorship had taken the state to a higher level, hence the decision by the party to support him for a second term.

Owolabi commended the party’s leadership for their wisdom and consensus-building efforts, describing Governor Oyebanji’s emergence as a testament to his outstanding performance and exemplary leadership style.

He urged party members of the party in the state to continue to support the governor’s efforts at transforming the state, adding that the collective loyalty and cooperation of the members “are vital for the sustained growth and development of Ekiti State.”

This was just as he urged Governor Oyebanji not to spare any effort at bringing all members of the party together, saying that “more than anytime before now, this is the time for His Excellency, Governor Oyebanji to show that he remains the quintessential father of all and extend his usual open hands to all and sundry.”

Owolabi who appealed to those who earlier showed interest in the ticket before the consensus to remain loyal to the APC, counsel led that “this is the time everyone must show commitment and values that the APC is first before individual ambitions.”

He further appealed to those who are yet to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration Exercise to do so promptly and ensure they collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which he described as an important tool for civic engagement and political empowerment.

Mr. Owolabi also expressed heartfelt appreciation to all supporters of the Irawo Owuro Project for their unwavering commitment and assured them of continued progress and success as the movement advanced.

Politics

JUST IN: All Enugu Reps Defect To APC

Published

1 day ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

The entire Enugu State caucus in the House of Representatives has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The defection was announced on Thursday by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, who read the lawmakers’ letters of resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party during plenary.

The event was witnessed by the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah.

The defectors said they decided to dump their former political platforms due to what they described as unresolved internal crises threatening the stability of the opposition parties.

After the 2023 general election, the Labour Party won seven of the eight House of Representatives seats in Enugu State, while the PDP secured one.

With this development, the APC now controls the entire Enugu caucus in the House of Representatives.

Addressing journalists after their defection, the spokesman of the defectors and member representing Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency, Nnolim Nnaji, said their decision was influenced by the need to align with the project-oriented administration of Governor Mbah.

He said, “Just come to Enugu and see what is happening there. The governor is doing a lot for our people. We also want to bring our state to the centre.

“This is not just a political move — it is a bold step into the future! A step borne out of courage, clarity, and our shared determination to reposition Nkanu East and West for greatness.

“For too long, our dear Enugu State has remained in opposition, watching from the sidelines as others shaped the destiny of our nation and accessed opportunities that could have transformed our people’s lives. That era is over! We refuse to remain spectators when we can be key players in Nigeria’s progress.

“By aligning with the APC — the party steering national transformation — we are connecting our constituency to the heartbeat of national development. This alignment will bring more projects, more jobs, better infrastructure, and greater empowerment for our youths, women, and communities.

“This decision wasn’t made on impulse. It comes from deep reflection and a burning desire to see our people rise above limits and take their rightful place in the national spotlight.”

The six defectors at Thursday’s plenary include Martins Oke, Anayo Onwuegbu, Nnamdi Agbo, Nnolim Nnaji, and Mark Obetta.

In a related development, the member representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, Daniel Asama, also dumped the Labour Party for the APC.

…Details later