By Mufta’u Balogun
Former President, Dr Olusegun Obasanjo, has commended the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, for speaking out to condemn the ills in her husband’s administration.
He however advised her to engage her husband privately and raise her concerns about the wrong choices of the administration.
Mrs Buhari has in a latest criticism of her husband’s performance, questioned the huge billions of naira spent on the Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) which she said there is nothing to show to justify the huge spending.
Obasanjo gave the advice when the editorial board of Pen-pushing Platform, led by Funke Fadugba, paid him a visit at his residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
He advocated for more advocacy and sensitisation to get the desired change in the country.
He said the media should play a crucial role in nation-building hence should not run away from its responsibilities.
”We have to put all ‘things’ on the table to address these problems. Mind you, we have to be sincere and genuine with ourselves,” he said. ”It is nice that president’s wife is talking. I think she did well, (but) maybe she should also have pillow talk with the president. I believe every Nigerian family, individuals, groups are entitled to livelihood. It is the responsibility of all to make sure we have a dignified life.”
Earlier, Mrs Fadugba said the visit was to inform the former president of the programme of events for its third anniversary scheduled to hold July 19.
She said the anniversary lecture with the theme, “Political Evolution and Multi-party Democracy: Education to the Rescue” has become imperative in view ”of the developments in the country.”
”With the statements by the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, these are commendable efforts, but, one wonders what is really happening. The lecture, it is our belief will go a long way to bring the change this country deserves,” she said.
Meanwhile, the event, which holds on July 19, at the Marque events centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Library, is expected to have the wife of the former president, Bola Obasanjo, as chairperson.
