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Obasanjo’s Press Release: Has Buhari change how leaders react to criticism?

President Muhammadu Buhari met former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the African Union Heads of States Summit holding in Adis Ababa and both leaders were full of smiles at each other despite Mr. Obasanjo’s criticism of Mr. Buhari’s government which has put every day Nigerians on each other’s throat. The much publicized Press Statement was not the first time former President Obasanjo was critical of President Buhari.

In November 2016, the 80 years old retired General urged the President to raise up to the challenges of recession stating that orders, wishful thinking and blame game will solve nothing. He also alleged that the government had no comprehensive policy that will change the condition of the Nation. This was just a month after he had visited the President and had a private meeting with him, which lasted for less than an hour, after which Mr. Obasanjo pinned his mouth with his fingers, in a dramatic gesture to signify to journalists that he will not speak about the meeting.

Despite Obasanjo’s criticism of Buhari at the 1st Annual Akintola Williams Foundation lecture in Lagos, President Buhari, who was on medical leave in London in 2017, did not miss calling Obasanjo on his 80th birthday and was full of praises and kind words. In August Mr. Obasanjo visited Mr. Buhari at the Abuja House in London and they again held a 40 minutes meeting during which the President was reported to have been in his most lively mood.

Before the now viral picture of both leaders was released, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, gave an official response to Mr. Obasanjo’s critical Press Release wherein the government answered a few questions raised by Mr. Obasanjo with utmost respect.

The government began by reiterating that it considers Obasanjo a statesman who loves Nigeria. It went ahead to list and explain its achievements.

A number of blogs, however, tried the little they could to make this response confrontational. The polite response was reported from “FG warns Obasanjo…” to “…you are ignorant”, among others.

Bakare, Akande

In January, Pastor Tunde Bakare, who was Buhari’s running mate in the 2011 general election, lashed out at the President, accusing him of overseeing a retrogression in all three of his main thrusts – security, job creation and anti-corruption. A week later, Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna, a known political associate of President Buhari, who is also a friend to Mr. Bakare, paid the Pastor a visit during church service. President Buhari himself said nothing.

Despite being close to the President, APC Chieftain, Bisi Akande, used the occasion of his birthday to suggest a Parliamentary system of government as against the present Presidential system being run in the country. This was twisted by TheSun newspaper to present the picture that Mr. Akande was being critical of the President; an expected outcome which makes comments even lighter than this draw the anger of people in power in the past.

Just last week, Mr. Buhari received both Mr. Akande and Bola Ahmed Tinubu with his usual laughs and jokes. And the trio held a meeting for hours.

Governor Ayodele Fayose

The President has maintained silence over the constant and consistent attacks by the Governor of Ekiti State whose personal attack began even before he was elected. Mr. Fayose had published a front-page advertorial on The Punch Newspaper, suggesting that if elected Mr. Buhari will die in office. He also constantly mocked the age of the President and claimed Mr. Buhari was on life support at some point. He calls the President the life patron of corruption and constantly attacks him any chance he gets. When the President reached a currency loan exchange deal with China, Mr. Fayose traveled to China to oppose it.

Mr. Fayose, however, met the President severally at the Council of States meeting, admits to never ever saying as much as “hello” to the President, yet confirmed that whenever he wished to speak at the meetings he was allowed to do so freely.

Akinwuwumi Adesina

Despite having criticized the President in public,  Mr. Buhari threw his weight behind the Ex-Minister of Agriculture for the position of the President of the African Development Bank. In what was a dramatic twist, the Ex-Minister who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan promptly deleted his anti-Buhari tweets after Mr. Buhari made a public pronouncement in his favour.

Adesina became the ADB President and later won the 2017 World Food Prize Laureate. A feat which was commended by the Federal Government without prejudice to his political affiliation with the opposition.

David Cameron

In May 2016, UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, was caught referring to Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country despite the fact that the Nigerian President was to speak on an Anti -Corruption Submit in the UK. In the heat of the outrage, Mr. Buhari was asked his opinion on the statement and he first made light of the issue saying all Nigeria wants is the return of wealth stolen and hidden in the UK, not apology. He later agreed with Mr. Cameron.

Aisha Buhari

What is almost unheard of in Africa is criticism of a sitting leader by his spouse. Aisha Buhari, the President’s wife, has however criticized the President on several occasions. Speaking to the BBC, she accused the President of appointing the wrong people and threatened not to support him in 2019. She also criticized the State House clinic and referred to its budget while doing so. In January 2018, Mrs. Buhari reposted two critical videos about Mr. Buhari.

When asked about which party his wife belongs to, Mr. Buhari made light of the issue saying he does not know.  There has also not been any clear or speculative information that their relationship is strained.

Overzealous Men or a dent?

While Mr. Buhari responded to criticism with sportsmanship, same cannot be said of some of the people around him. Isa El-Buba, General Overseer of the Evangelical Outreach Ministries International, was invited by the DSS for a New Year message he delivered which had no religious incitement as he asked Christians to vote for the right person even if he is a Muslim. All he did was criticize the President.

Also, while the President was sharing jokes with Mr. Obasanjo, Minister for Communications, Adebayo Shittu, was calling out the former President, accusing him of being sensational and critical of every government aside his own in the last 30 years.

In February 2017, Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, had published an article praising Acting President Osinbajo while also stating that his achievement is to the credit of President Buhari who chose a good Vice. Mr. Buhari’s social media aide, Laurretta Onochie, replied with torrent of insults including claiming Mr. Momodu’s establishment was corruption friendly, Mr. Momodu was clever by half, among others. In November 2017, Onochie suggested that Former President Jonathan was behind the Niger Deltan Avengers.

Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina is also reputed for calling Nigerians who oppose the President “wailers”, Mr. Buhari himself had admitted on several occasions that times are indeed hard and has called for patience from Nigerians.

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