A prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, has issued a stern warning to Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, following his critical remarks about former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
George stated that Onanuga would face consequences for disrespecting Obasanjo, an elder statesman and a prominent figure in Nigerian politics.
The controversy began after Obasanjo delivered a keynote address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum held at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. In his speech, Obasanjo criticised Nigeria’s current state under President Tinubu, describing it as a “failing state” characterised by pervasive corruption and ineffective leadership.
Reacting to Obasanjo’s comments, Onanuga accused the former president of being far from an ideal leader and overseeing what he termed as the most fraudulent election in Nigeria’s history. Onanuga further attributed many of the nation’s current challenges to what he described as Obasanjo’s poor economic decisions during his presidency.
“The current economic crisis the All Progressives Congress (APC) 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,” Onanuga said.
He also dismissed Obasanjo’s call for the removal of the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission calling it hypocritical.
“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,” he stated.
Onanuga acknowledged a few positive aspects of Obasanjo’s tenure but attributed them to favourable global oil prices rather than deliberate governance.
“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,” he noted.
Bode George, however, took strong exception to Onanuga’s statements, condemning them as a breach of Yoruba cultural values that forbid disrespecting elders. Speaking during an interview on Nigeria Info FM, George said, “An old man who could be Bayo Onanuga’s father said something, and you took him on by blasting him right, left, and centre.
“That is his style because he did it to me before; he didn’t meet me in 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, in Yoruba land it’s not impossible for him (Onanuga) to be charmed because there would be a day after and that’s more important. He should be vigilante as he walks because it’s possible for him to be charmed,” George warned.