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Presidency Keeps Mute Over Obasanjo’s Criticism of Tinubu’s Reforms

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1 month ago

Nov 18, 2024.

The Presidency has remained silent following critical remarks from former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concerning President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms.

Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University, Obasanjo described Nigeria as being under “state capture,” accusing the government of corruption and poor leadership.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, released a statement summarizing Obasanjo’s concerns about the dire state of the nation.

According to Obasanjo, Nigeria’s leadership crisis is rooted in corruption, mediocrity, and a failure to prioritize public interest.

He linked the nation’s challenges to the unchecked influence of political and business elites, highlighting the purchase of national assets at undervalued prices and the misuse of public resources.

Presidency Obasanjo Tinubu’s Reforms

Obasanjo also quoted Chinua Achebe’s 1983 treatise The Trouble with Nigeria, asserting that the core issue lies in leadership failure. “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership,” he reiterated, adding that there is hope if reforms are implemented with transparency and integrity.

Similarly, the IMF, in its latest economic outlook for sub-Saharan Africa, raised concerns about the slow impact of reforms in Nigeria.

The report, presented by IMF Deputy Director Catherine Patillo, cited “adjustment fatigue,” double-digit inflation, and stagnant growth, noting that Nigeria’s projected growth rate of 3.19% for 2024 lags behind the regional average of 3.6%.

Despite these criticisms, the Presidency has yet to respond officially. A source within the State House hinted at a desire to avoid direct engagement with Obasanjo’s remarks, describing him as a respected statesman.

The criticisms from both Obasanjo and the IMF come at a time when Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship, sparking debates on the effectiveness of Tinubu’s policies.