Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has come under fire from the presidency over his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
In response to Obasanjo’s remarks, Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, described the former leader as “Nigeria’s grandfather of hypocrisy,” accusing him of attempting to rewrite history and whitewash his “bad democratic records.”
Speaking in Abuja on Monday at the Ihedioha Colloquium, Obasanjo had criticized the state of democracy in Nigeria, stating: “Democracy is not about power grabbing illegally and telling victims to go to court.”
However, Dada dismissed Obasanjo’s comments, arguing that he is seeking to absolve himself of responsibility for the country’s democratic shortcomings.
“It is obvious that Obasanjo is trying every trick possible to whitewash his anti-democratic past by shifting blame for Nigeria’s democratic decline,” Dada said.
He further accused the former president of hypocrisy, stating:
“It is shocking to hear Obasanjo lecture on democracy when, during his tenure between 1999 and 2007, he ruled with an iron fist. He turned himself into a kingmaker and a political demigod, crushing anyone who opposed him.”
Dada alleged that Obasanjo, alongside his then-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, was complicit in rigging elections to favor the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly in the Southwest.
“This is the same Obasanjo who worked with Atiku to manipulate elections, ensuring that opposition states fell to the PDP with the help of their ‘job man,’ then-INEC Chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu. He used federal power to rig out incumbent governors in Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Oyo states. Only Lagos, led by Bola Tinubu, survived the onslaught,” Dada claimed.
He concluded by referencing Atiku’s past admission that Lagos was deliberately spared, further reinforcing allegations of electoral malpractice under Obasanjo’s administration.
The presidency’s remarks come amid escalating political tensions in Rivers State following Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich region. The move has sparked controversy, with Obasanjo among those criticizing it as undemocratic.
However, Tinubu’s allies maintain that Obasanjo’s own record in office undermines his credibility on democratic matters.
