Power Projects: Obasanjo calls Buhari ignorant

After President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday dug into former President Olusegun Obasanjo for spending $16bn on power projects during his tenure, with nothing to show it, the former president responded by describing Buhari as clueless.

While no name was mentioned, Buhari taunted “a former Nigerian leader” bragging at a time that his administration spent the amount on power sector.

“More than 15 billion American dollars, not naira, on power. Where is the power?’ he told the Buhari Support Organisation that Nigeria Customs CG Hameed Ali led to the Villa on Tuesday.

Responding, Obasanjo said the Buhari’s allegation that $16bn was wasted on power project was based on ignorance.

“The answer is simple: the power is in the seven National Integrated Power Projects and eighteen gas turbines,”said Kehinde Adeyemi, the former president’s spokesman.

He referred Buhari to Obasanjo’s autobiography, My Watch, saying he had cleared allegations about the power project in the book.

“While it is doubtful that a President with proper understanding of the issue would utter such, it should be pointed out that records from the National Assembly have exculpated

President Obasanjo of any wrongdoing concerning the power sector and have proved the allegations as false,” the spokesman said.

He added that reports by both the EFCCC and the Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of the Recommendations in the Report of the Committee on Power have cleared Obasanjo of any wrong doing.

“To inform the uninformed, the so-called $16bn power expenditure was an allegation against Chief Obasanjo’s administration and not his claim.

“Chief Obasanjo challenges, and in fact encourages, anybody to set up another enquiry if in doubt and unsatisfied with the EFCC report and that of the Hon. Aminu Tambuwal-led ad hoc committee.”

Obasanjo and Buhari have been fighting some cold war on the political turf since Buhari signified intention to run in the 2019 oresidential race.

The former president has embarked on barnstorming with his Coalition for Nigeria, campaigning against Buhari’s re-election.

“Buhari is a failure,’ he once said. “And Nigerians must not reinforce failure.”