A former aide to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, has called on ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo to refrain from ridiculing current and past presidents, urging him to set a more constructive example.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Inside Sources, Akande criticised Obasanjo’s recent remarks referring to President Bola Tinubu as “baba go-slow” and emphasised that such comments are unhelpful in addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
“Former presidents such as General Obasanjo should do better than merely making jest of other presidents,” Akande said during the programme.
The remarks follow Obasanjo’s scathing assessment of the 2023 general elections during a lecture at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University.
The former president described the elections as a “travesty” and accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of compromising the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Akande acknowledged that Nigeria is grappling with significant political and leadership crises, but he argued that these challenges are rooted in deeper systemic issues.
He stated, “The Nigerian situation suffers from political leadership challenges, but even more serious is the deeper problem that itself produces the political leadership challenges.”
His comments highlight the growing discourse around governance in Nigeria and the role of past leaders in shaping public opinion.
Akande’s call for restraint comes amid mounting political and economic pressures on the Tinubu administration.
The exchange underscores the need for constructive dialogue among Nigeria’s political elite to address the nation’s challenges effectively..
