The presidency has hit back at former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the economy......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
The Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, responded to Obasanjo’s recent TV interview where the former president said Nigeria has a president who assumed office without a plan.
“What do you say of a president who comes to office without a plan? Such leaders wake up and simply announce a three-point plan. What are these points meant to achieve? Who developed them? Leadership requires study and understanding,” Obasanjo had said, attributing the country’s economic challenges to poor governance and corruption.
But responding, Ajayi argued that the “planless” president referred to by Obasanjo is boldly implementing economic reforms that the former president failed to do.
He recalled that Obasanjo had attempted to remove petrol subsidy during his time but “chickened out” due to pressure from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Ajayi added that Obasanjo only managed to raise fuel prices during his tenure while Tinubu has demonstrated “the courage of his conviction” by fully implementing the downstream deregulation which the presidential aide argued would redirect the economy.
He wrote, “It is a fact of history that one of the things former President Obasanjo set out to do, among other reforms his administration embarked upon, was complete deregulation of the downstream oil industry. But hard as he tried, he failed to actualise it. Obasanjo faced so much opposition from organised labour and civil society groups that he abandoned a good policy that would have led to massive economic gains for the country. All he could muster the courage to do was to raise the pump price four times during his two-term tenure.
“Twenty years after Obasanjo failed to implement complete downstream deregulation, President Bola Tinubu had the courage of his conviction to implement the policy, redirect the economy, and ensure efficiency in the management of public finance.”
Ajayi added, “Despite his foibles and messianic complex, former President Obasanjo is no doubt a remarkable leader. His administration opened the economy and implemented essential reforms that his immediate successor should have continued with. What most critics find offensive about the former president is how he sees himself as the only saviour God created for Nigeria. As far as he is concerned, no other leader before and after him has been good enough. For context and clarity, it is essential to recall the former president’s position on deregulating the downstream oil sector when he was in charge.”
He recalled a national broadcast delivered by Obasanjo in 2003, where the former president expressed frustration and anger at the NLC for opposition deregulation.
“Interestingly, excerpts from the 2003 national broadcast by President Obasanjo present a contrast between the former leader and President Tinubu. They also showcase two leadership visions. One leader saw the need to fight for the country’s long-term sustainability but chickened out because he lacked the courage to upset the status quo.
“Two decades later, another leader saw the damage the failure to make the right economic decision had caused the country. He decided to correct it to avert a looming calamity. While former President Obasanjo left the most challenging task of his presidency undone, President Tinubu tackled head-on what has become an existential threat to our collective well-being from his first day in office. He has remained focused on the bigger picture.
“President Tinubu recognises the burden of leadership and responsibility he bears on behalf of Nigerians. In discharging this burden, he knew from day one that he would have to make the right but unpopular decisions that would ultimately serve the best interest of the country and her people.
“It is certainly not correct to say this president came to the office without a plan. President Tinubu came into the office with a clear plan titled “Renewed Hope 2023: Action Plan for a Better Nigeria.” It was a well-thought-out programme, with which he canvassed for votes across the country and was elected by our people.”