The Nigerian Presidency has sharply criticised former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other opposition figures, accusing them of deliberately undermining President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to tackle the country’s worsening security crisis.
The rebuttal came in a statement issued on Sunday by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication. The statement, titled “Between Tinubu’s Capability and the Ignobility of Pseudo Statesmanship”, condemned recent comments made by Obasanjo about rising insecurity.
Obasanjo, speaking at an event in Jos on Friday, had expressed deep concern about continued killings across the country. He said Nigerians were within their rights to seek international assistance if the government failed to protect them.
“We Nigerians are being killed, and our government seems incapable of protecting us,” Obasanjo said.
“If our government cannot do it, we have the right to call on the international community.”
His remarks were echoed by other critics, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who have questioned the Tinubu administration’s security strategy.
Responding, Dare described Obasanjo’s comments as “hypocritical and ignoble,” arguing that Boko Haram’s earliest structures were formed during Obasanjo’s presidency.
“Before recommending surrender, the former President should reflect on what he failed to do when these terrorists first began organising under his watch,” Dare said.
He insisted it is “a historical fact” that the extremist group’s ideological roots and first cells emerged during Obasanjo’s tenure, when the state failed to act decisively. According to the Presidency, what began as a small sect later grew into a violent insurgency that has killed thousands and destabilised the region.
Dare also said it was “reckless” for a former leader who failed to contain the group at its inception to now criticise those tackling its consequences.
The Presidency warned that repeated public criticism of the government’s capabilities could strengthen terrorist groups by projecting an image of national weakness.
“When former leaders disparage the nation’s capacity, they hand psychological victories to the very terrorists murdering and kidnapping Nigerians,” Dare said.
He added that President Tinubu is approaching the security challenge with a mix of military action, intelligence operations, community rebuilding, and counter-radicalisation programmes.
Dare further said that Obasanjo should offer constructive support rather than “selective amnesia wrapped in elder statesmanship.”
The Presidency insisted President Tinubu remains committed to securing the country and will not be distracted by political attacks.
The exchange comes as insecurity continues to dominate national debate, amid frequent armed attacks, kidnappings, and extremist violence across several states.