Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo is facing backlash after alleging that lawmakers accepted bribes to approve President Bola Tinubu’s State of Emergency proclamation in Rivers State.
Reacting to Obasanjo’s claim, Sunday Dare, a Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Tinubu, took to X (formerly Twitter) to post, “We can never forget,” alongside screenshots of past news reports. These reports included allegations from former Senate President Ken Nnamani and other lawmakers, who claimed they resisted Obasanjo’s attempts to bribe them during his presidency to support his controversial third-term bid.
Obasanjo, Others Decry Nigeria’s Failing Democracy
Obasanjo’s remarks came just hours after he, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, Bishop Mathew Kukah, and other notable figures criticized Nigeria’s democratic state during the 60th birthday event of ex-governor Emeka Ihedioha. They warned that democracy in the country was deteriorating and called for urgent reforms.
In a sharp response, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s aide on information and strategy, slammed Obasanjo for accusing the 10th Senate of corruption. Onanuga labeled the former president a hypocrite, asserting that Obasanjo was the one who introduced bribery into Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
Obasanjo’s latest comments have reignited debates about corruption within Nigeria’s political system, with critics and supporters clashing over his legacy and credibility.
Read Onanuga’s post on X
“Former President Obasanjo, who yesterday recklessly accused the distinguished and honourable members of the National Assembly of bribe-taking to pass the Rivers state of emergency declaration, was the man who introduced bribery into our Fourth Republic. We should not forget this. However, we should be alarmed by his brazen hypocrisy.”
