Daud Olatunji
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lambasted former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu for leading Nigeria into what he described as a “failed state,” marred by insecurity, underdevelopment, and pervasive corruption.
Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University, USA, Obasanjo also called for the immediate dismissal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmood Yakubu and other electoral officials across federal, state, and local levels to restore trust in the country’s electoral system.
In his keynote address, titled “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,” the former president criticized the policies and leadership styles of Buhari and Tinubu, indirectly referencing them by their popular nicknames, “Baba-go-slow” and “Emilokan,” respectively.
He said their administrations had entrenched chaos, division, and systemic corruption.
Obasanjo highlighted how Nigeria has descended into unprecedented levels of insecurity, youth restiveness, and economic stagnation.
“The failing state status of Nigeria is glaringly manifested in the pervasive corruption, mediocrity, injustice, incompetence, and immorality that define governance today,” he stated.
He further criticized the judiciary for being compromised, asserting that politicians blatantly rig elections and rely on corrupt courts to validate fraudulent victories.
“The judiciary in Nigeria is a pale version of its once internationally esteemed self,” he said, adding that the phrase “go to court” has become a mockery of justice.
The former president described the 2023 general elections as a “travesty” and accused INEC of deliberately sabotaging the electoral process by failing to deploy promised technologies like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
These tools, according to him, were designed to enhance electoral transparency but were rendered ineffective due to INEC’s willful neglect.
He advocated for sweeping reforms within the commission, including the vetting and appointment of non-partisan officials with short tenures to minimize political influence.
“Nigeria must ensure credible leadership at all levels of INEC. The INEC Chairperson must be transparently independent and incorruptible,” Obasanjo said.
Obasanjo accused Nigerian politicians of exploiting poverty and hunger to manipulate voters. He criticized the use of “stomach infrastructure”—the distribution of food and other items—to secure votes rather than addressing systemic issues.
“Destitute people are more likely to vote for politicians who bring gifts—ironically bought with looted funds—than for those who offer long-term solutions,” he remarked.
Obasanjo urged the nation to adopt virtues that have propelled Southeast Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, and Singapore to development.
He lamented the high rate of out-of-school children, insecurity, and economic sabotage by political elites, including the sale of national assets at giveaway prices to cronies.
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