Senate, Obasanjo attacks Buhari - Newspaper Review

The Nigerian political situation is going haywire, with President Muhammadu Buahri being put under so much pressure. Major dailies across Nigeria today, Thursday 24, bear stories of the political tension in Nigeria and how President Buhari is faced with so many challenges. We begin with New Telegraph which bears the headline, “Senate, OBJ bomb Buhari”.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has taken a swipe at the leadership style of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that a lot of things still need to be done to get the economy properly back on track. Obasanjo, known for his vitriolic attacks on leaders over issues of national importance, yesterday at the First Akintola Williams Annual Lecture bared his mind on the Buhari-led administration, corruption in the judiciary and National Assembly. Speaking on the theme: “Nigeria Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Governance and Accountability, former president Obasajo chided Buhari for persistently blaming past administrations for the nation’s woes. He said the president was elected to effect changes, not to keep lamenting on the nation’s challenges. His words: “The blanket adverse comments or castigation of all democratic administrations from 1999 by the present administration is uncharitable, fussy and uninstructive.” This Day reports “Obasanjo to Buhari: Stop the Excuses, Nigeria Needs Result-Oriented Policies”.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to stop blaming past administrations for the current economic woes and focus on implementing result-oriented policies and programmes that will turn the economy around. He equally cautioned that if Buhari fails to fix the economy to relieve the pain and anguish of many Nigerians, the “gains of fighting the insurgency and corruption will pale into insignificance”. Daily Trust joins with the headline: “Obasanjo opposes Buhari’s $30bn loan”.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s external borrowing plan saying “If we borrow some $30bn, in less than three years, we would have mortgaged the future of Nigeria for well over thirty years to come.” Obasanjo spoke yesterday at the first Akintola Williams Annual Lecture in Lagos where he also took a swipe at the Nigerian military, the judiciary and the National Assembly. This is the first time Obasanjo is openly criticising President Buhari who took office one and a half years ago.