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Corruption Wars: Presidency Slams Obasanjo, Opposition Sides with Ex-President

By Achimi Muktar

The Presidency has launched a scathing attack on former President Olusegun Obasanjo, labeling his recent criticisms of corruption in Nigeria and calls for electoral reform as hypocritical. The heated exchange stems from Obasanjo’s keynote address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum, Yale University, where he decried Nigeria’s entrenched corruption and its impact on development.

While Obasanjo’s remarks received backing from opposition parties like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the Presidency dismissed his comments as "profound hypocrisy" and accused him of leaving behind a legacy of corruption and administrative failures.

Obasanjo’s Scathing Address

In his address titled Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria, Obasanjo described corruption as a "fatal ailment" plaguing the nation, warning that it threatens the very survival of Nigeria.

“Corruption in Nigeria has passed the alarming stage and entered the fatal stage. Nigeria will die if we keep pretending she is only slightly indisposed,” he said. Highlighting the Transparency International report ranking Nigeria 150 out of 180 countries in 2022, Obasanjo stated that corruption underpins the nation’s developmental challenges, leading to chaos, insecurity, and economic stagnation.

Obasanjo also criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its handling of the 2023 general election, which he called a travesty. He recommended shorter tenures for INEC officials and stricter vetting processes to prevent partisan appointments.

Presidency’s Fiery Rebuttal

The Presidency, however, hit back through its Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accusing Obasanjo of running "the most corrupt administration in Nigeria’s history."

“Chief Obasanjo has no moral authority to criticize INEC. His tenure was marked by the most fraudulent election in Nigeria’s history, acknowledged even by its beneficiary, Umaru Yar’adua,” Onanuga said.

Onanuga also criticized Obasanjo’s failed third-term agenda, his administration’s controversial privatization efforts, and the $16 billion power project that yielded little improvement in electricity supply. “He invested billions in power only to leave Nigerians in darkness,” the statement read.

The Presidency accused Obasanjo of exploiting public universities’ challenges to establish private institutions and failing to address infrastructural decay. “Instead of sermonizing on leadership, he should reflect on the unresolved legacies he left behind,” Onanuga added.

Opposition Rallies Behind Obasanjo

In contrast, the PDP, LP, and NNPP defended Obasanjo, arguing that his critique reflects the sentiments of Nigerians who are disillusioned with the current state of governance.

Timothy Osadolor, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, called for INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s resignation and investigation into INEC’s alleged mismanagement of resources. “The 2023 election was a betrayal of trust. INEC dashed Nigerians’ hopes,” he said.

The LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, echoed similar sentiments, accusing INEC of undermining democracy despite receiving N1 billion for election technology. “Obasanjo is speaking the truth. INEC’s leadership should have resigned in shame,” he said.

NNPP’s Ladipo Johnson commended Obasanjo’s thoroughness and urged Nigerians to evaluate INEC’s performance. “We need to ask ourselves: are we progressing or regressing?” he said.

A Battle of Legacies

The Presidency did not shy away from personal attacks, referencing a strained relationship between Obasanjo and literary icon Chinua Achebe. Onanuga pointed out Achebe’s rejection of a national honor from Obasanjo’s administration in 2004, citing poor governance and state-sponsored corruption in Anambra State as reasons.