Laide Raheem, Abeokuta 

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, said he harbours no personal grudges against President Muhammadu Buhari but is  only critical of his style of government and leadership of the country.

Obasanjo said this in his remarks at his 82nd birthday lecture organised by the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.

The birthday lecture was delivered by former South African minister of Home Affairs, Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

In reaction to remarks by the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, who jokingly advised Obasanjo to stop disturbing his boss (Buhari), declared that he can never keep quiet, but criticise bad governance.

He said he had led the country longer than any Nigerian would ever do,  insisting he would always be critical of bad leadership, even if his own blood brother is at the helm.  

He reiterated that he remained a boss to president Buhari and asked Alake to tell his “boss” to do the right thing or be ready to face more criticism from him. 

He said: “I believe Africa has no alternative to democracy, good governance, development and growth of our economy. We have none. And If that is not happening in any country, those who keep quiet about it, they are accomplices to the crime. That, in a democracy you criticise a policy of a government is not a family affair, even if it is my brother that is there and he is not doing the way he should do; he must be criticised. That is what democracy is all about, criticism and seeing the other side.

“So, if I say anybody in government is Nigeria or any government for that matter is not doing well, let that government prove that it is well. It’s not anything personal…there is nothing personal between me and him. Just as he is your boss, I am his boss, with all due respect.

“Now, the point is that I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian will ever be there. That’s true. If any Nigerian comes in and have two terms, he will not have almost four years of military rule. So, I have been there longer than any Nigerian would ever be there.”