In a sharp retort on Monday, the Presidency Blames Obasanjo for what it considers the current shortcomings in Nigeria’s democratic system. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, asserted that the roots of Nigeria’s democracy could be traced back to the initiatives of Obasanjo during his terms as military Head of State (1976–1979) and civilian President (1999–2007).
“Onanuga criticized Obasanjo’s post-presidential stance, stating, ‘Presidency Blames Obasanjo ought to know that he brought this thing into Nigeria. He was the one who made us adopt it in 1979. So, the way he is sounding, it is like the man is getting wiser after leaving office,'” remarked the Special Adviser.
The exchange unfolded after Obasanjo’s critical remarks on Western liberal democracy during a high-level consultation on Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa. Obasanjo contended that the Western model failed to deliver good governance and development in Africa and proposed the adoption of an “Afro democracy” tailored to the continent’s unique needs.
Obasanjo argued that liberal democracy, as practiced in the West, neglected African history and multicultural complexities. He stated, “The weakness and failure of liberal democracy as it is practiced stem from its history, content, and context and practice.”
However, the Presidency countered Obasanjo’s assertions, accusing him of poorly implementing the presidential system during his leadership. Onanuga criticized Obasanjo for not advocating a return to the parliamentary system, which Nigeria was practicing before the military intervention in 1966.
“We were practicing the parliamentary democracy the British left for us. Instead of going back to what we were practicing before, parliamentary democracy, which was not expensive, it was this same Obasanjo who accepted the recommendation of the constitutional assembly that recommended this American-style democracy,” Onanuga explained.
Furthermore, the Presidency criticized Obasanjo’s handling of the presidential system, accusing him of incorrect implementation. Onanuga remarked, “Obasanjo also knew that he copied this presidential system very wrongly. He copied the form and structure. But he didn’t copy the spirit of it.”
In essence, the clash between the Presidency and the former president revolves around the origins and shortcomings of Nigeria’s current democratic model, with both sides engaging in a spirited debate on the suitability and effectiveness of Western-style democracy in the African context.
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