Ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, labeling the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project as “wasteful and corrupt”.
Obasanjo’s remarks, made in his new book ‘Nigeria: Past and Future’, also criticized the government’s decision to spend N21 billion on a new official residence for Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
Obasanjo accused the administration of prioritizing personal interests over national development, stating that “actions of the government suggest a continuation of ‘transactional’ governance, with the slogan ‘it is my turn to chop’. He also alleged that “state resources are captured and appropriated, with a pittance to staff and associates to silence whistleblowers”.
The former president criticized Nigerian leaders, including governors, presidents, ministers, commissioners, and local government chairmen, for being ill-prepared, self-centered, and focused on corruptly enriching themselves. Obasanjo emphasized that “many clamoring to lead are only interested in using their offices to enrich themselves and their cronies, leaving the country worse off”.
In addition, Obasanjo reiterated his stance that Western liberal democracy may not be the best fit for Africa, proposing instead a system he calls “Afrodemocracy,” which takes into account African history, culture, and characteristics.
