Afenifere Leader Responds To Obasanjo’s Advice To Tinubu

Afenifere Leader Responds To Obasanjo’s Advice To TinubuThe National Organising Secretary of Afenifere, Kole Omololu, has asserted that President Bola Tinubu’s leadership is already demonstrating a trajectory that could surpass the record of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In a statement released on Sunday, Omololu praised Tinubu’s economic reforms, claiming they are setting Nigeria on a path to recovery, growth, and long-term development.

“The president’s economic reforms inspire hope that Nigeria is on the verge of significant recovery and advancement,” Omololu stated, directly addressing recent criticisms from Obasanjo.

Obasanjo, in a keynote address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University, had called Nigeria under Tinubu a “failing state.” In his lecture, titled Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria, Obasanjo accused the current administration of perpetuating corruption, mediocrity, and incompetence.

Omololu rejected Obasanjo’s comments, dismissing them as “inaccurate” and a reflection of the former president’s tendency to seek attention. He argued that Tinubu’s reforms are already yielding positive results in addressing Nigeria’s systemic issues.

“The claim that Nigeria is a failing state under Tinubu is both wrong and mischievous,” Omololu said. “Under President Tinubu, we are seeing tangible improvements, contrary to Obasanjo’s negative perspective.”

Omololu also criticized Obasanjo’s long history of undermining his successors, claiming that Tinubu’s management, moral integrity, and anti-corruption stance far exceed that of the former president. He pointed out that Tinubu’s economic measures, such as removing fuel subsidies and unifying the foreign exchange rate, were bold steps Obasanjo never took during his time in office.

He highlighted that these reforms have boosted Nigeria’s revenue and reduced its debt-to-income ratio from 97% to 65% in just 17 months. Moreover, Omololu pointed to the country’s unprecedented trade surplus of N14.07 trillion for the first half of 2024, and the significant growth of non-oil revenue under Tinubu’s leadership—figures that have surpassed the total revenue generated during Obasanjo’s eight years in office.

Omololu further questioned Obasanjo’s criticisms, citing the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s growth. “How can Obasanjo criticize mismanagement when, in March 2024, the Nigerian Stock Exchange recorded a 39.84% year-to-date increase, making it the second-best performing exchange in Africa?” Omololu asked.

He also addressed Obasanjo’s comments on anti-corruption efforts, pointing to Transparency International’s positive assessment of Nigeria’s progress under Tinubu. “Transparency International’s 2024 report shows that Nigeria is less corrupt now than it was during Obasanjo’s administration,” Omololu stated, noting that the country had improved its Corruption Perception Index, moving up five spots from 150 in 2023 to 145 in 2024. In contrast, under Obasanjo’s leadership, Nigeria was ranked among the most corrupt nations in the world.

Omololu also recalled the bitter public exchange between Obasanjo and his former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, which exposed their corrupt dealings. He questioned how Obasanjo, who failed to manage his own deputy, could now accuse Tinubu of mismanagement and immorality.

“If you could not manage your presidency, what moral authority do you have to criticize a man who has managed his government and party with remarkable efficiency?” Omololu asked, asserting that Tinubu’s leadership is far more competent and accountable than Obasanjo’s.

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