The president’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, has provided an explanation for how the administration responded to Olusegun Obasanjo’s New Year’s speech.
Shehu, who spoke during an interview on “Real Talk with Kike” on Thursday, claimed that the former president “failed” the accomplishments and records of the Buhari-led government.
“He didn’t do just that. If he had chosen to endorse Obi as his candidate, that is perfectly in order. It is his own choice to do. Nobody would have quarreled with him,” he said.
“We didn’t come into it but for the fact that he has failed the records of our administration, and for this reason, we thought he needed a reply.
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“Ordinarily, we would have allowed Mr Obasanjo to just say whatever he wants to say; it never really hampers the success and achievement of the Buhari-led administration in any meaningful way.
“The records have to be set and the facts must be stated as they were. This is why we had to respond to him. Otherwise, we may not have done so.”
Shehu also said Buhari remains committed to supporting Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The president will vote for the APC candidate and that is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is absolutely no doubt about this. The president is a party man,” he said.
“He has been brought to where he is as a party man. He must be loyal to the party and speak to the decision of the party to put forward Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“It is going to be a secret ballot and I hope the president will do one thing he has not done before — after thumbprinting, display his ballot paper for Nigerians to see.
“It is going to be Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. There is no doubt about it.”
Recall how former President Obasanjo criticised the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on January 1, 2023, saying that “the last seven and a half years have turned out not to be the best” for Nigeria in his New Year’s address.
The former president also took advantage of the occasion to lend his support to Labour Party (LP) candidate Peter Obi for president.
Nevertheless, in response to Obasanjo’s letter, the presidency said in a statement signed by Shehu that Obasanjo was envious of Buhari because he had made more progress for the country than he had.
He added that Obasanjo “destabilised internal democracy” and “misused political power” while he was president, and that he lacks the moral authority to criticise the Buhari administration.
