The Nigerian presidency has issued a sharp rebuke to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, asserting that he failed to implement crucial economic reforms during his tenure that President Bola Tinubu is now courageously advancing.
The response, articulated by Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, comes after Obasanjo criticized Tinubu for allegedly lacking a coherent plan upon assuming office.
In a recent interview, Obasanjo suggested that Tinubu entered the presidency without a strategy, a claim the presidency has vehemently rejected.
Ajayi emphasized that Tinubu is not only acting on plans abandoned by Obasanjo two decades ago but is doing so with a resolve that his predecessor lacked in the face of opposition.
“The narrative of two leaders handling Nigeria’s economic challenges starkly contrasts Obasanjo’s hesitance and Tinubu’s decisiveness,” Ajayi stated.
He pointed to Obasanjo’s inability to fully deregulate the downstream oil sector, a vital step for economic progress that was hampered by pushback from labor unions.
Ajayi noted that while Obasanjo raised fuel prices multiple times during his presidency, he ultimately abandoned the comprehensive reforms needed for long-term stability.
In his defense of Tinubu’s administration, Ajayi argued that the current president has taken bold steps to remove the fuel subsidy—a contentious issue that past leaders have shied away from since the 1970s.
He remarked, “Obasanjo saw a looming calamity but failed to act; Tinubu has chosen to confront these challenges head-on from his first day in office.”
The presidency underscored that Tinubu came to power equipped with the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” a strategic plan aimed at reviving Nigeria’s economy and enhancing public finance management.
Ajayi highlighted ongoing initiatives in gas development and educational loans for young Nigerians as key components of this agenda, framing them as steps toward making Nigeria competitive in global markets.
Ajayi’s statements challenge Obasanjo’s perception of himself as the sole savior of the nation, urging him to recognize the ongoing efforts of current leadership.
“If there is one President of Nigeria that came prepared with a clear-cut plan to reposition the country, it is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he concluded.
The exchange underscores the evolving dynamics of Nigeria’s political landscape as Tinubu’s administration seeks to differentiate itself from past leaderships while grappling with the country's longstanding economic challenges.