The Presidency has criticised former President, Olusegun Obasanjo and other government critics, accusing them of trying to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to tackle terrorism.
Sunday Dare, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, issued a statement on Sunday titled, “Between Tinubu’s Capability and the Ignobility of Pseudo Statesmanship.”
He said Obasanjo and “habitual presidential aspirants” were wrongly portraying the Tinubu administration as unable to protect Nigerians.
Dare said their criticisms ignore how widespread terrorist threats are and described their comments as capitulation” rather than true statesmanship. In recent weeks, Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other opposition figures have criticised rising insecurity and questioned the government’s non-kinetic security approach.
Speaking at an event in Jos on Friday, Obasanjo expressed concern about the insecurity, saying Nigerians have a right to seek foreign support if the government fails in its duty.
He said, “No matter what religion you belong to. No matter where you come from. No matter your profession, we Nigerians are being killed, and our government seems to be incapable of protecting us.
“We are part of the world community. If our government cannot do it, we have the right to call on the international community to do for us what our government cannot do for us.”
Dare responded by calling Obasanjo’s remarks “hypocritical and ignoble,” insisting that Boko Haram started gaining ground during Obasanjo’s administration.
He said, “The suggestion that Nigeria should effectively subcontract its internal security to foreign governments is not statesmanship; it is capitulation.
“Before recommending surrender, the former President should reflect on what he failed to do when these terrorists first began organising under his watch.”
Dare added that it is a “historical fact” that Boko Haram’s “ideological foundations and early cells” emerged during Obasanjo’s tenure, when the state failed to act decisively.
According to him, what began as a small extremist sect later became a violent insurgency and a regional threat aligned with global jihadist movements.
He said it was “reckless” for the leader under whom the group grew to now issue public lectures.
Dare stressed that President Tinubu is taking on terrorism with military action, intelligence operations, restoring governance in affected communities, and counter-radicalisation programmes.
He warned that criticising the administration could embolden terrorists. He said, “When former leaders disparage the nation’s capacity, they hand psychological victories to the very terrorists murdering, kidnapping, and extorting Nigerians.”
Dare added that Obasanjo should acknowledge past failures and support the government instead of undermining it.
He said Obasanjo should “put his position and connections at Nigeria’s disposal” rather than criticise an administration working on economic recovery, security, and infrastructure.
He concluded by saying President Tinubu remains committed to securing the country and that the government will not be distracted by what he called “selective amnesia wrapped in elder statesmanship.”