Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has compared the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to the regime of the former military dictator, Sani Abacha.
Obasanjo made the comments whilst receiving a delegation of 150 persons from the Nigerian Market Traders Council at his Abeokuta hilltop mansion.
Obasanjo said the political and economic situation of the country was similar to that of the Abacha regime saying that the middle class had been wiped out.
He made references to text messages sent to him by disillusioned Nigerians who said they were unable to afford vehicles despite what Baba referred to as their “good jobs”.
“As for me, we don’t know where we are going yet, may God show us the way. The way that will take this country and make it a great country, and when, for me ooo, I understand and (if) I see the way, I will tell you, I pray that God will show me the way, may God show you the way.
“Tough time does not last forever, and when tough times comes, tough people get going, we will keep going and we will survive this though time.
“I told him (the SMS sender) that we have experienced this period in time of Abacha, all the middle class were completely destroyed.”
He said: “I was surprised the day a Colonel in the Army came to me complaining that he and his family could not afford to buy a car.
“A friend of mine, Dr. Okoro, a medical Doctor, his wife was also a medical Doctor and they have daughter too, who is also a medical Doctor, between the three of them, they could not afford a new car, they had to go to Saudi Arabia but, I pray we will not have such a time in Nigeria.
“We all have contribution to make and should not leave our responsibility on other for us to do. If we fail to participate in things that are meaningfully positive for this country, you will be a victim and we all become victims.”