Obasanjo’s son defends Buhari’s administration

Olujonwon Obasanjo, son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and the National President of Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO), has told Nigerians not to compare the administration of his father to the current President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

He said this while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat.

He, however, said that while he could not speak for his father’s administration, he believed in the President Buhari-led administration as a young man.

He added that his continued support for the Buhari administration did not in any way amount to him disrespecting his father, saying that as an adult, he was entitled to his political views.

“Everybody’s parent wanted them to be one thing or the other, probably different from what they are today, but at certain stage in our lives, we choose our path, that does not amount to disrespecting your parents.

“When we get to certain point in our life, you are responsible for the decisions you take, with all due respect, my father is my father and will remain my father despite our political differences.

“I am an adult and as individual, I am here as someone who believes in Buhari`s government, this government is diversifying the economy from an oil based economy and has made agriculture fashionable.

“Today, people talk about farming and they no longer look at it in a degrading manner, people now look at the value chain when you talk about farming,“ he said.

The BYO president added that to him, it was all about the impact the Buhari-led government had made and how much it had impacted on the people.

He stressed that as a nation, Nigerians must look beyond oil and think outside the box by looking at other areas which he said the APC government was doing in the interest of Nigerians.

He added that beyond diversifying the economy, the government was promoting youth involvement in all sectors.

“As a young man, I am looking at the future, and I believe in this government and I am supporting President Buhari, so I cannot speak for my father,“ he said.

He, however, said it would be unfair to compare the Obasonjo-led administration with the Buhari government, because according to him, the circumstances are different.

“I think that it will be unfair comparison because what each leader met on ground was different, and they both came in under different circumstances.

He advised that as a nation, we need to progress mentally and quit looking at politics as a do or die affair or as something that should separates us.

He stressed that politics was meant to unite Nigerians, adding that we could however, disagree to agree and have genuine argument looking at issues from different point of view.

This, he said, was the type of politics his organisation was promoting, adding that politicians should rise above religion, ethnicity and primordial sentiments in the interest of the nation and its citizens.

“Politics is not a battle, it is not war, we should stop looking at it from the stand point of who is superior.

“I have an ideology and an opinion, my father has his and we are not in conflict, we are still a family, a loving family at that, “ he said.

Obasonjo said his organisation believed that by promoting the ideology of President Buhari, it would be promoting his achievements which were not being highlighted properly.

This, he added, was critical to allow the electorate decide what was best for them ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He said President Buhari was a sincere and trustworthy leader who was poised to ensuring that the nation`s resources were judiciously used to better the lot of the people.