Politics
Obasanjo Morally Squalid, Attacks Leaders Out Of Frustration – Garba Shehu
Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media & Publicity, has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a morally squalid individual who attacks leaders out of frustration.
In a letter, Mr. Obasanjo claimed that Mr. Buhari had dragged the country below its 1999 status.
Reacting, Mr. Shehu in a statement on Monday, said Mr. Obasanjo is so well known to all that no one needs to describe who he is.
His statement reads: “former President Obasanjo is so well known to all that no one needs to describe who he is.
“But, four things we will like to say:
“One is that he will not stop attacking President Muhammadu Buhari because the former President won’t stop being jealous of anyone who beats him to a new record in the nation’s development process.
“President Buhari is ahead of Chief Obasanjo in all fields of national development and to do that is cardinal sin to Obasanjo whose hallucinations tell him that he is the best ever to lead Nigeria and there will never be another one better than him.
“President Buhari just completed the world class edifice that is the Second Niger Bridge after three decades of failed promises. It is now awaiting commissioning.
“Obasanjo laid the sod for the bridge in his first term as elected President and work never started.
“When he sought re-election for his second term in office, he returned to the site to turn the sod for the bridge the second time. When the Obi of Onitsha, forthright and scholarly, reminded him that he had done this in the past, Obasanjo told the foremost Southeast traditional ruler that he was a liar, in the full presence of the Chiefs and Oracles in his palace.
“Obasanjo lied to the Southeast to get their votes. President Buhari didn’t get their votes but built the bridge because he believed it is the right thing to do.
“Two, President Buhari had been bagging awards and encomiums for trying to do that which the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says a leader should do: serve one, or a maximum of two terms and go.
“President Buhari has been stating and restating that he will supervise a better election than the one that brought him to the office and to leave as and when due.
“Having tried tenure elongation and failed, Obasanjo’s fictitious mind must be telling him that he is the one under attack.
“But he is not on President Buhari’s radar because experience has shown, especially lately in West Africa where there have been at least three successful coups and many other failed attempts, that third term or tenure elongation is a recipe for political instability.
“Furthermore, the totality of African leaders appointed President Buhari the Anti-Corruption Champion of the continent.
“You can’t be an anti-corruption champion if “you meddled and bent the rules,” carrying the putrid responsibility of what happened to national assets in the name of privatization as documented by the Nigerian Senate in 2011.
“As an insight, the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria, ALSCON, which was set up with $3.2 billion, was sold to a Russian firm, Russal, for a paltry $130million. Delta Steel, which was set up in 2005, at a cost of $1.5billion, was sold to Global Infrastructure for just $30million.
“ALSCON got back $120million for the dredging of the Imo River, which was never carried out.
“Three, which is linked to the one above is the growing profile of President Buhari as the Champion of Democracy not only at home and in the West African subregion but the African continent as whole.
“As President, Obasanjo destabilized internal democracy by orchestrating impeachment after impeachment of governors who were not compliant with his highly imperial administration.
“As we said sometime back, Mr. Obasanjo’s tenure, 1999-2007, represented the dark days of Nigeria’s democracy due to a slew of assaults on the constitution.
“The former president deployed federal machinery to remove governors Joshua Dariye, Rashidi Ladoja, Peter Obi, Chris Ngige and Ayo Fayose from office. They were the then governors of Plateau, Oyo, Anambra, Anambra and Ekiti, respectively, unjustly removed using the police and secret service under his control.
“Under him, a five-man legislature met at 6:00 am and “impeached” Governor Dariye in Plateau; 18 members out of 32 removed Governor Ladoja of Oyo from office; in Anambra, APGA’s Governor Obi was equally impeached at 5:00 a.m. by members who did not meet the two-thirds required by the constitution.
“Lawmaking powers of the Rivers State legislature were transferred to the federal parliament to punish Governor Amaechi for shifting his political alliance.
“Moreover, he damned the Supreme Court and unlawfully held back Lagos State revenues due from federal sources on account of his pettiness against Governor Bola Tinubu.
“On the other hand, in Washington a few weeks ago, the US President Joe Biden at a meeting with African Heads of States and Government described President Buhari as a champion of democracy and role model for the leaders of African states.
“Clearly, Obasanjo has become even more jealous by adopting a vengeful attitude.
“Four, to say that “frying pan to fire” is the situation in Nigeria at this time should be read to mean a personal experience to him and we know what that means.
” “Hell” for Obasanjo is when a President, any President that comes after him refuses to be his own puppet, to do as he wishes on all matters and at all times.
“He then keeps attacking out of frustration.
“Obasanjo’s vengeful attitude towards President Buhari is the height of selfishness and little short of moral squalor.”
Mr. Obasanjo, recently endorsed the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, while ignoring the Presidential Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu despite being from the same region.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented Certificates of Return to candidates who emerged victorious in the June 20, 2026, bye-elections conducted across Rivers, Enugu, Nasarawa, Ondo and Kano states.
The commission announced the development in a statement shared on its official X platform on Tuesday, confirming the formal recognition of the successful candidates as duly elected representatives.
The certificates were presented on behalf of the INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, by the Supervising National Commissioner for Rivers State, May Agbamuche-Mbu.
READ ALSO: Ondo By-Election: INEC Breaks Silence on BVAS Issues, Result Upload Process
Speaking during the presentation ceremony, Agbamuche-Mbu congratulated the winners and urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by their constituents through effective representation and responsive leadership.
She noted that the primary duty of elected officials is to serve the people faithfully and ensure that the interests of their communities are adequately represented at all times.
According to her, voters have entrusted the successful candidates with a mandate that comes with responsibility, accountability and dedication to public service.
“The primary responsibility of elected officials is to serve the people diligently and ensure their interests are well represented,” she said.
INEC stated that the issuance of the Certificates of Return officially affirms the candidates as winners of their respective elections and marks the conclusion of the electoral process.
The electoral body further disclosed that Certificates of Return would also be presented to winners of the Kebbi State House of Assembly election for Zuru Constituency as well as the Ekiti State governorship election.
It added that National Commissioners representing the affected constituencies conducted the presentations, formally confirming the elected candidates as duly returned winners.
The commission expressed optimism that the newly elected officials would work towards improving the welfare of their constituents and contribute positively to democratic governance in their respective states.
The June 20 bye-elections were held to fill vacant elective positions across several states, with INEC overseeing the conduct of the polls and subsequent declaration of winners.
The presentation of the Certificates of Return now paves the way for the successful candidates to assume office and begin carrying out the responsibilities attached to their mandates.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, securing another four-year term in office.
The Returning Officer for the election, Professor Adenike Oladiji, announced the result at about 3:13 a.m. on Sunday after the completion of collation from the state’s 16 local government areas.
According to the results, Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challengers.
READ ALSO: Ekiti Poll Shock: ADC Candidate Loses Home Ward to Oyebanji
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oluwole Oluyede, secured 40,543 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) garnered 12,872 votes.
Oladiji disclosed that 384,940 voters were accredited for the election, while 375,777 valid votes were recorded. She added that 6,332 votes were rejected, bringing the total votes cast to 382,109.
The declaration ended a closely watched governorship contest that saw voters across Ekiti State head to the polls on Saturday amid a generally peaceful atmosphere.
Despite the successful conduct of the election, reports of technical challenges and allegations of irregularities emerged from some polling units.
INEC said all 2,445 polling units designated for the election opened for voting.
According to the commission, 2,257 polling units, representing 92.31 per cent, opened before 8:30 a.m., while 188 polling units experienced minor delays but commenced voting before 10:30 a.m.
The electoral body also began uploading polling unit results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after voting and counting were completed in several locations.
During the election, PDP candidate Oluwole Oluyede raised concerns over developments at Ugele/Arokun Ward in Ikere Local Government Area.
Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Polling Unit 006, he alleged that many voters were unable to vote because of challenges associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Oluyede also alleged voter harassment and intimidation in the area.
Earlier, some elderly voters at the same polling unit expressed frustration after they were unable to complete accreditation due to BVAS issues and called on INEC to urgently address the problem.
ADC candidate Dare Bejide also alleged irregularities during the election.
However, Governor Oyebanji dismissed the allegations and insisted that those making such claims must provide evidence.
The governor, who voted at Polling Unit 003, Okelele, Ikogosi-Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area, described the conduct of the election as satisfactory and encouraged eligible voters to participate peacefully in the democratic process.
Similarly, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, CP Abayomi Shogunle, stated that no case of vote-buying was reported to security agencies during the poll.
Voting ended before 3 p.m. in many polling units, after which sorting and counting of ballots commenced. However, some locations experienced minor disruptions.
At Polling Unit 008 in Ugele/Arokun Ward, Ikere Local Government Area, sorting and counting reportedly became rowdy as party agents and supporters disagreed over the validity of some ballot papers.
At Polling Unit 006, where the PDP candidate voted, voting was still ongoing as of 4 p.m. due to delays caused by accreditation challenges.
Security personnel later intervened to restore order when the situation became tense.
Election observers generally commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise while raising concerns about some procedural issues.
First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Sebastian Anyia, described the process as peaceful and orderly, expressing optimism that the smooth conduct witnessed during accreditation would continue throughout the election.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Brenda Anugwom, praised the determination shown by female voters.
“The women are so resilient; in front of me at the other polling unit, they are laying their blankets on the floor and placing their toddlers, which means they are here to stay; they mean business, and they really want to cast their vote,” she said.
Meanwhile, election monitoring group Yiaga Africa raised concerns over what it described as discrepancies between ballot papers, result sheets and INEC’s published list of candidates.
In a statement signed by Aisha Abdullahi, Chair of the 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission, and Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, the organisation said:
“Yiaga Africa is observing the Ekiti State governorship election, and our preliminary findings raise serious concerns about the consistency of the materials INEC has deployed.”
The group warned that the inconsistencies could create confusion during voting and collation processes.
Reacting to the concerns, INEC explained that 19 political parties were included on the ballot paper to avoid the cost of printing fresh ballot papers following court orders and other administrative changes.
Ahead of the election, INEC repeatedly assured residents of its readiness to conduct a credible and transparent poll, while security agencies stated that extensive preparations had been made to ensure a peaceful exercise.
The Nigeria Police Force led a multi-agency security operation across the state, deploying personnel to polling units, collation centres and other strategic locations.
Authorities also imposed restrictions on vehicular movement during voting hours and warned political actors against violence, vote-buying and other electoral offences.
With the declaration of the final result, Oyebanji has secured a second term as governor of Ekiti State after recording a decisive victory over his opponents in the governorship election.
Election Results
Biodun Oyebanji (APC) – 319,224 votes
Oluwole Oluyede (PDP) – 40,543 votes
Dare Bejide (ADC) – 12,872 votes
Election Statistics
Accredited Voters: 384,940
Valid Votes: 375,777
Rejected Votes: 6,332
Total Votes Cast: 382,109
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has recorded an early lead in the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election after defeating the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, in his polling unit and ward.
The result was declared at Polling Unit 004, Ward 2, Ekiti South-West Local Government Area, where Bejide hails from.
The ward is also shared with IT expert and politician Makinde Araoye.
ALSO READ: Oyo APC Rejects LG Election, Says Makinde Wants to Rule by Proxy After Exit
According to the results announced, Oyebanji polled 140 votes, while Bejide secured 37 votes.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded 2 votes.
Result breakdown for PU 004, Ward 2:
APC: 140 votes
ADC: 37 votes
PDP: 2 votes
The outcome handed the APC an early advantage as collation of results continues across the state under the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The result is seen as significant because Bejide lost in his own polling unit, an area expected to favour him as a native of the ward.
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