Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has launched a scathing attack on the President Bola Tinubu administration, describing the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project as “wasteful and corrupt”. Obasanjo also slammed the government for spending N21 billion on a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, calling it a “misplaced priority” and a “conduit designed to embezzle public funds”.

In his new book, “Nigeria: Past and Future,” Obasanjo painted a damning portrait of chief executives at both federal and state levels, accusing them of being “ill-prepared, satanic, self-centred” and only interested in enriching themselves and their cronies ¹. He noted that many office-seekers obtain loans of billions of naira, believing they can repay them from public funds after being elected.

Obasanjo cited the example of a governor whose business owed billions of naira and millions of dollars before he became governor, but paid off the debts within two years of taking office without his company doing any business. “You are left to guess where the money came from,” Obasanjo said.

The former President also questioned the awarding of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract to Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech Construction Company without competitive bidding, noting that Chagoury is believed to be Tinubu’s long-time business partner and friend.

To address Nigeria’s challenges, Obasanjo suggested that the country needs to “interrogate” Western liberal democracy and develop a unique African democracy, which he called “Afrodemocracy.” He said this new system would take into account African history, culture, attributes, and characteristics, and avoid the faults found in Western liberal democracy.