Bode George, a former deputy national chairman (south) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has stated that Bayo Onanuga, a spokesperson for the presidential office, will face consequences for his remarks about former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Gatekeepers News reports that Obasanjo, during a speech at the Chinua Achebe leadership forum at Yale University on November 16, characterised the 2023 general election in Nigeria as a “travesty.” He highlighted the nation’s status as a failing state, attributing this to widespread corruption, ineffective leadership, and moral decline, which he argues have resulted in insecurity and underdevelopment.
Obasanjo criticised the current governmental climate, referring to it as chaotic and linking it to the phrases “Baba-go-slow” and “Emilokan.” The term “Emilokan” gained popularity during President Bola Tinubu’s campaign, signalling his claim to leadership.
Obasanjo called for the appointment of new and credible leaders for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who would serve short tenures to minimize corruption and help restore trust in the electoral process.
In response, Onanuga remarked that Obasanjo himself left numerous unresolved issues during his tenure, pointing out that he oversaw what many consider the most fraudulent election in Nigeria’s history. He expressed his disapproval of Obasanjo’s decision to publicly share his perspectives on leadership and governance, suggesting that the former president has shifted blame to his successors while overlooking his shortcomings.
“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,” Onanuga 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.”
However, in an interview on Nigeria Info FM, George said Onanuga would pay back for insulting an elder, noting that Yoruba culture does not condone such behaviour.
The PDP chieftain chided Onanuga for his comments against Obasanjo, noting that the former president was old enough to be his father.
“An old man who could be Bayo Onanuga’s father said something, and you took him on by blasting him right, left, and centre,” George said.
“That is his style because he did it to me before; he didn’t meet me at Ijebu Ode Grammar School.
“You can see how small he is when comparing himself to us; people give their opinion, and you insult them.
“Even if you want to react, the Yoruba culture does not allow that insult from him.
“Someday he would pay back because there would be a day after, and that’s more important.
“He should be vigilant as he walks because it’s possible for him.”
