by Willy Okonji,
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu over the controversial N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, labeling it a wasteful and corrupt endeavor. He also condemned the government’s decision to spend N21 billion on a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, describing it as a misplaced priority designed to divert public funds.
Obasanjo’s remarks were made in chapter six of his newly launched book, Nigeria: Past and Future, where he scrutinized the leadership style of Nigerian politicians at all levels. The book was one of two unveiled last week as part of his 88th birthday celebrations.
“It’s My Turn to Chop” – Obasanjo Accuses Tinubu’s Government of Corruption
Assessing Tinubu’s tenure so far, Obasanjo accused the government of prioritizing personal enrichment over national development.
“Everything is said to be transactional, and the slogan is ‘It is my turn to chop,’” Obasanjo wrote.
His criticism follows growing concerns over the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a 700km project that Minister of Works David Umahi revealed would cost N4.93 billion per kilometer. The government has already released N1.06 trillion for the pilot phase—just six percent of the total project—stretching from Eko Atlantic to the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
Many Nigerians have questioned why the contract was awarded without competitive bidding to Hitech Construction Company, owned by Gilbert Chagoury, a known associate of President Tinubu.
Despite widespread opposition, Obasanjo accused the president of ignoring public outcry.
“The President has turned a deaf ear to protests against the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, and in the midst of economic hardship, he is spending N21 billion on a new residence for the Vice President to show that his administration is ‘hitting the ground running.’ What small minds!” he said.
When contacted for a response, Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, declined to comment.
“Leaders Take Public Funds Like Personal Loans”
Obasanjo also blasted Nigeria’s political class, accusing them of being self-serving and unprepared for leadership. He alleged that many politicians take out massive loans to fund their elections, with the expectation of repaying them using public resources once in office.
“How do you explain the situation of a chief executive, a governor, whose business was owing the banks billions of naira and millions of dollars before becoming a governor, and within two years of being in office, without his company doing any business, he paid off all his debts? You are left to guess where the money came from,” he said.
He further accused political leaders of looting state resources while distributing small sums to their associates to silence potential whistleblowers.
“The ones that are criminally ridiculous are the chief executives that deceive, lie, and try to cover up the realities and truth about contract awards, agreements, treaties, borrowings, and forward sales of national assets. Such chief executives are unfit for the job they find themselves in,” Obasanjo stated.
Calls for Afrodemocracy: “Liberal Democracy is Failing”
Beyond critiquing Tinubu’s government, Obasanjo called for a re-evaluation of Nigeria’s political system, arguing that Western liberal democracy has failed to serve Africa’s unique needs.
“If the West, from where liberal democracy originated, is already complaining that it is not working well for them, we should be wise enough to interrogate it, reflect, and realize that it is not working for us either,” he wrote.
As a solution, he proposed a system he termed “Afrodemocracy,” which he believes would better align with African values and governance structures.
“Until we can find a better name for it, let us call it Afrodemocracy. From this, we can create an African people’s constitution for any African nation that chooses to follow this path, avoiding many of the failures of Western liberal democracy,” he suggested.
With Obasanjo’s remarks adding fuel to the ongoing debate over the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and other major government expenditures, it remains to be seen how Tinubu’s administration will respond.
