In a sharp rebuke to former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s recent comments about integrity, political commentator and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri has taken to his social media page to criticize Osinbajo’s stance.
The former Vice President had during a public event lamented that integrity has become a scarce commodity in Nigeria.
According to aprof Osinbajo, even criminals are now seeking out trustworthy individuals to safeguard their stolen wealth.
Osinbajo’s comments were seen as a reflection on the declining moral values in Nigeria.
He expressed regret that only a few individuals today possess the virtue of integrity.
However, his remarks did not sit well with Omokri, who questioned Osinbajo’s own credibility and integrity during his tenure in office.
Reacting to his comment, Omokri accused Osinbajo of being a “backstabber” for contesting the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary against his political benefactor, Bola Tinubu, during the 2022 election cycle.
He described the former Vice President’s actions as a betrayal and criticized him for speaking on integrity, given his alleged involvement in controversial dealings during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“How can Osinbajo talk about integrity when he himself contested against his political benefactor, Bola Tinubu?”
“What kind of integrity does a backstabber have?
“And now this man has the audacity to talk about integrity, when he ought to be reflecting on his own conduct.”
Omokri went on to highlight financial mismanagement during Osinbajo and Buhari’s administration.
He referenced the ongoing revelations about the illegal borrowing of ₦50 trillion through “ways and means” without legislative approval.
According to Omokri, this massive borrowing spree severely depleted Nigeria’s foreign reserves and plunged the country into unprecedented debt, leaving behind an economic mess for the current administration to clean up.
He also pointed out the irony in Osinbajo’s former spokesman, Laolu Akande, openly praising the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the best government in Nigeria’s history, while remaining silent on the achievements of Osinbajo and Buhari.
“Even Osinbajo’s own spokesman, Laolu Akande, when asked which administration was the best in Nigeria’s history, did not mention Buhari and Osinbajo.
“He said it was the Obasanjo administration. This alone speaks volumes about how utterly inept Osinbajo and Buhari were,” Omokri added.
Omokri’s critique of Osinbajo has sparked widespread discussion online, with many Nigerians weighing in on the former vice president’s legacy.
While some defended Osinbajo, pointing to his achievements in judicial reforms and economic policies during his tenure, others echoed Omokri’s sentiments, accusing him of political hypocrisy.
Osinbajo, who served as vice president from 2015 to 2023 under the administration of Muhammadu Buhari, had positioned himself as a reformer and a man of integrity during his time in office.
However, his decision to contest the APC presidential primary in 2022 was seen by many as a betrayal of Bola Tinubu, the party’s national leader and his long-time political mentor.
The revelations of financial mismanagement during the Buhari-Osinbajo administration, particularly the controversial borrowing through “ways and means,” have continued to generate public outrage.
Critics argue that the administration’s economic policies left Nigeria in a worse financial state, with ballooning debt, inflation, and rising poverty levels.