Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of following the same disastrous path as the late President Muhammadu Buhari. According to Obasanjo, Tinubu’s leadership is currently “competing in inefficiency” with Buhari’s administration, which he described as Nigeria’s “worst civil administration.”
This scathing evaluation came in Obasanjo’s latest book, Nigeria: Past and Future, launched to celebrate his 88th birthday. The book, alongside Lest We Forget: Slavery, Slave Trade, Emancipation and Reparation, was presented in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where Obasanjo reflected on the leadership challenges Nigeria has faced since its independence.
Obasanjo’s sharp criticism of Buhari was damning. He labelled the Buhari-led administration, which governed from 2015 to 2023, as a catastrophic failure for the country. “Words are cheap, and what needed to be done was left undone during Buhari’s civil administration – the worst civil administration so far in Nigeria’s history,” Obasanjo remarked.
Reflecting on Buhari’s time in office, Obasanjo recalled the irony of the former military leader’s harsh criticism of the Shehu Shagari government in the 1980s. Buhari had accused Shagari’s government of corruption and mismanagement, but Obasanjo questioned why Buhari’s own tenure failed to meet his lofty promises. “Maybe those ideas were not his; maybe he just read them as written for him,” Obasanjo mused, hinting at a possible disconnect between Buhari’s earlier criticisms and his performance as a democratically elected president.
Buhari’s administration was marked by economic collapse, inflation, and a surge in unemployment, leaving Nigeria with a staggering ₦49.8 trillion debt burden and worsening security. As Buhari’s tenure came to an end, his death in 2025 sparked mixed reactions across the country, with many reflecting on his leadership’s contradictions.
Looking at the present, Obasanjo argued that Tinubu’s administration has yet to offer Nigerians meaningful relief. He pointed to the government’s controversial removal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira in May 2023, which resulted in soaring inflation rates. As of 2024, inflation had reached a crippling 34.80 percent, with food inflation surpassing 39.84 percent, further exacerbating the economic suffering of many Nigerian households.
“The removal of the fuel subsidy and the devaluation of the naira have brought little but hardship to the average Nigerian,” Obasanjo said, adding that only Tinubu’s administration seems to be in competition with Buhari’s for the title of “worst governance.”
Obasanjo also highlighted the government’s failure to address rising commodity prices, unemployment, and escalating insecurity. He emphasized that while Nigerians face immense economic challenges, the administration has yet to offer any clear solutions.
In his own reflections, Obasanjo spoke candidly about his long-standing commitment to Nigeria’s progress. “I have had the honour of serving this country both as a military Head of State and as President. Now, I am getting close to my departure lounge, maybe without picking my boarding pass yet,” he noted, acknowledging his limited time left to guide Nigeria towards better governance.
Responding to critics who have accused him of hypocrisy, Obasanjo defended his writings as being focused solely on the nation’s development rather than self-justification. “My conscience is clear,” he declared, underscoring his dedication to Nigeria’s growth.
As of press time, the presidency had not responded to Obasanjo’s comments, leaving his accusations hanging in the air.
