Buhari’s Government was the worst in Nigeria’s democratic history—Obadanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has set off a political firestorm with his latest book, Nigeria: Past and Future, where he brands the administration of his successor, Muhammadu Buhari, as the worst in the country’s democratic history. In an even more explosive claim, he warns that President Bola Tinubu’s government is following the same path—and may even surpass Buhari in corruption and misgovernance.
The 88-year-old statesman’s revelations, made public on Thursday, have already drawn sharp reactions from the Presidency, which dismissed his allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
A Scathing Indictment
Obasanjo spares no words in his critique, condemning the Buhari administration for what he describes as “the most atrocious waste, enthronement of corruption, and discouragement of anti-corruption efforts.” He specifically points to former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, calling him “the devil’s workshop” of corruption under Buhari’s rule.
His book, released last week in celebration of his birthday, also takes aim at Tinubu’s government, citing the controversial N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project and the N21 billion vice-presidential residence as prime examples of waste and misplaced priorities.
“The game of short-changing over 230 million Nigerians continues,” Obasanjo writes. “Everything is said to be transactional, and the slogan is ‘It is my turn to chop.’”
Buhari and Malami Silent, Presidency Fires Back
Efforts to get a response from Buhari and Malami on Thursday were unsuccessful, with both declining to comment on the allegations. However, the Tinubu administration wasted no time in countering Obasanjo’s claims.
Special Adviser on Media, Sunday Dare, defended the Lagos-Calabar highway, calling it “a visionary legacy project with enormous economic potential.” Another presidential aide, Temitope Ajayi, dismissed Obasanjo’s criticism as hypocritical, citing his own failures to complete critical infrastructure during his tenure.
“If, as President for eight years, he couldn’t fix the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Lagos-Abeokuta road, we can’t take his latest views seriously,” Ajayi posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Minister of Works, David Umahi, also jumped to the government’s defense, insisting that 70% of the coastal highway work had already been completed and that critics should “ignore distractions.”
Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Struggles
In his book, Obasanjo reflects on how Buhari’s presidency failed to uphold the anti-corruption stance that he once championed as a military ruler in 1983. He recalls how Buhari, after overthrowing President Shehu Shagari, declared corruption and election rigging as the justifications for his coup—only to preside over a democratic government riddled with the same vices decades later.
“As good as Buhari’s 1983 speech was, he failed woefully to match his words with actions,” Obasanjo writes. “His administration from 2015 to 2023 was the worst civil administration in Nigerian history. Only Tinubu’s government appears to be competing for that title.”
Obasanjo also criticizes Buhari’s decision to pardon former governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, both convicted of embezzlement, describing it as a move that demoralized Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.
A Warning for the Future
While Buhari’s tenure takes the brunt of his criticism, Obasanjo fears that Tinubu’s government may take corruption to new heights. He warns that systemic waste, insider deals, and political patronage are now more entrenched than ever.
“The presidency has become a business empire,” he says. “It’s no longer about governance but about who gets what share of the national cake.”
With Nigeria grappling with economic hardship and a growing debt crisis, Obasanjo’s warnings are bound to stir more controversy. Whether his book prompts real reform or simply fuels another political battle remains to be seen.
