Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communication and Orientation, Sunday Dare, has asserted that the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, inflicted significant setbacks to Nigeria’s democracy.
Dare stated this in a post on his X account on Monday. Adding that previous administrations faced an uphill battle to fix the problems caused by Obasanjo’s tenure. According to him, President Tinubu is now making significant strides in addressing these issues, overcoming the challenges left behind by his predecessors.
Dare said due to the setbacks he brought to the country’s democracy during his tenure, Obasanjo no longer has the moral standing to criticize the current administration. According to Dare, he should instead apologize to Nigerians for not establishing the necessary infrastructure for the country’s progress, which he believes has hindered the country’s development.
He said, “Democracy suffered mortal wounds under his watch, only exacerbated by his destructive obsession with an ill-fated third-term bid. He is a man with a tremendous capacity for mischief, and Nigerians know it.
“His journey down the path of delusion has always been apparent, as his descent into distorting facts, forgetting that he presided over a presidency that was among the most corrupt in history. His recent comments at Yale University lack sincerity.
“It is laughable that Obasanjo’s pretensions about fighting corruption are failing to convince the general public.”
Dare mentioned that under Obasanjo’s leadership, $16 billion was spent on generating ‘megawatts of darkness’ across the nation, without any explanation ever provided.
In his words, “But that is not even the main issue. The Yoruba proverb, ‘A o ki n wo ariwo oja, eniti a anba na oja ni a n wo,’ teaches that we should not be distracted by the noise of the market. Instead, we should focus on the person with whom we are negotiating.
“This is an instructive lesson. In this market called Nigeria, the man with the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda is the one that matters – President Tinubu and, indeed, Nigerians.
“Everything else is just ‘ariwo oja’ (market noise). This administration will remain focused on bringing relief to Nigerians. Obasanjo’s remarks are a reflection of the childish nature of market noise.”
Dare urged Obasanjo to stop constantly criticizing his successors and instead reflect on how his tenure contributed to Nigeria’s current predicament. President Tinubu, he emphasized, is now courageously working to restore the country to a better state.
We thank former President Obasanjo for acknowledging that ‘Yes, there is hope.’ That’s the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda that the President is advancing, and it’s well on track. We look forward to having that conversation with the former president.”
