You presided over Nigeria’s most fraudulent election, presidency replies Obasanjo

The presidency has taken a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo over comments credited to him.

While speaking at the Chinua Achebe leadership forum held at Yale University in the US, the former president said the 2023 general election was a “travesty”.

Obasanjo said Nigeria must appoint new, credible leaders for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with short tenure to prevent corruption and re-establish trust in the institution.

But in a statement on Monday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Obasanjo left many unresolved problems for the country, adding that he presided over the most fraudulent election in Nigeria’s history.

“The beneficiary of the sham election, Umaru Yar’adua, admitted that the election was seriously flawed and, as Justice Muhammed Uwais’s panel recommended, worked towards electoral reforms,” the presidential aide said.

“It is hypocrisy writ large when a man who presided over the worst election in Nigeria demands the sack of the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“The only positive of the Obasanjo era was fiscal and monetary policy management buoyed by a consistent rise in crude oil prices throughout his eight-year tenure.

“This rise in crude oil prices started in 2000 and peaked in 2013 when it reached over 100 dollars per barrel before a decline in 2014, which set the oil-dependent economy downward.

“The current economic crisis the All Progressives Congress administrations have been battling since 2015 is the product of the poor choices in economic management made by Obasanjo and the two successors from his party.”

The presidential aide added that under Obasanjo, there were no efforts to modernise the military, until the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari came on board.