Nigerians have criticised self-acclaimed human rights activist-turned politician Aisha Yesufu over her claims that former president Goodluck Jonathan was a corrupt leader.
In a statement on X on Tuesday, while describing Jonathan’s administration as a ”failed” administration, Aisha mentioned that he epitomized corruption in the country.
She stated that under his administration, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the minister of finance at the time, was borrowing money to pay salaries.
”Ngozi Okonja Iweala @NOIweala, as Minister of Finance under the corrupt and failed administration of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, was borrowing money to pay salaries in the number one economy you all parrot because Nigerians don’t read and have short memories,” Aisha said.
”They brought your future for you to eat, and you thought you were balling,” Aisha added.
Reacting to her claims, Nigerians berated the Bring Back Our Girls activist, condemning her for supporting the APC administration of ex-president Muhammadu Buhari, which they claim ruined the country.
Berating Yesufu, Daniel Regha said, ”Aisha Yesufu should be the last person criticising Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. Correct me if I am wrong, but didn’t Peter Obi work with Jonathan during his “corrupt and failed” administration?
”Same Obi that Aisha campaigned for during the last elections with promises of reviving Nigeria, after Obi was Atiku’s running mate in 2018/19. You all can’t be serious.”
For an X user simply identified as Mercy, she said, ”Madame Aisha, you should be on your knees every day pleading to Nigerians to forgive you for the atrocities you caused. You used your political #BringBackOurGirls campaign to fight GEJ. You openly supported Buhari.”
Sharing the same sentiments, Nuel Ikueto said, ”Aisha Yesufu has one problem: she considers herself infallible. She has little or no humility to acknowledge her wrongness or inadequate information.
”Not everything is achieved by tantrums You don’t have to be right all the time. Calm down, take a breath, and consider your actions past, present, and future.
”Given everything you know, experience, and expect. Your role in bringing Buhari to power cannot be ignored or forgotten. A lot of people regret theirs. You could admit you were wrong or misled. It’s not that deep.”
See how more Nigerians reacted to Yesufu’s statement.
Ikechukwu, ”Dear @AishaYesufu, kindly desist and resist from making us revisit history. Own up to your mistake of supporting a calamitous APC regime of Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, and also own up to how the BBOG Movement sourced its funding to carry out those protests, sit-ins, and public relations advocacies that spread like a wild harmattan fire across Nigeria and the global community.
”When you own up to your flaws of 2014/2015, we can now begin to heal. Let me also set the records straight that Nigeria, managed by Dr. @NOIweala, never borrowed to pay salaries until oil prices began to tank in early 2015 to as low as $30 per barrel at the international market.
”But, even at that, this period under review, Nigeria was the world’s third fastest growing economy, the largest economy in Africa with a GDP of over $500 billion, and a GDP growth averaging 6%.
”Also, Nigeria’s per capita income at the time was $3000, and the nation had a single-digit inflation rate of 9%.
”10 years after under two successive calamitous APC regimes, Nigeria’s GDP is now below $200 billion; GDP growth is averaging 3% or less, per capita is below $900, and the inflation rate is skyrocketing to a high of 34%.”
Emekaele Nwoke, “This wailing on an exposé and tagging people won’t help. Take the corrections and keep it moving. You were used for a terrible regime change operation, known or unknown to you. And yes, you’re right, Goodluck Jonathan failed! He had what it took to do better, but he didn’t.”
Ugowil, ”Aisha, give up this fight. You’re beginning to make yourself look terribly bad. Jonathan’s government, as you claimed, was way better than Buhari’s.
”You literally helped to take power from Jonathan. Statistics are there for all to reference. Please, admit you helped to bring Nigeria’s economy down because since APC took over, it has gone from bad to worse.
”The economy has consistently been on a downward spiral. You are beginning to act like a butterfly that thinks itself a bird. It seems you are the type that is hell-bent on giving reasons for making a terrible decision—not good on you, I can tell you that.”
Peter Akah, ”You made a horrible mistake in 2015 by supporting the calamity called APC, Aunty Aisha. Own it; all this grandstanding is a waste. All of you who saw Buhari as your messiah are the reason why we are where we are today. But you can keep deceiving yourself since it makes you feel good.”
Daddy H, ”It’s either you’re arrogant or still ignorant to the mistakes of pre-2015. I, too, fell for the deceit. GEJ was not perfect, but supporting Buhari was the worst mistake we ever made. Put aside your ego and own it up. Nobody is above mistake.”
Arc Uche Rochas, ”You should be ashamed of yourself for working against the GEJ government and aiding foreign mercenaries in destabilizing Nigeria’s economy. You played a role in the country’s destruction, and now that USAID is no longer in play, you owe Nigerians an apology.”
Ragnarok, ”This can’t be coming. You were part of the people that imposed this APC government and the multidimensional poverty that came with them. You can’t rub that off your history books. Aligning with Peter Obi only made people pretend to forget your part in bringing in APC because they just wanted the APC and Buhari out. There are some topics you should sit out.”
Sam, “This woman with no shame, they wanted to remove the subsidy in 2012; you and your fellow witches and wizards protested in Ojota against it. You and your generation can never lace the shoes NOI wears, so keep quiet already.”
Nnemeka Edeh, ”This is absurd, Madam Aisha Yesufu. If Jonathan was borrowing money to pay salaries, what do you say about Bola Tinubu today? You can’t defend yourself; you rubbished yourself by associating with those crooked politicians. You can’t escape the condemnation; you dined and wined with them.”
Prince Oge, ”Aisha I respect and have regard for you, but comparing GEJ with the APC administration is unacceptable. Even if they were borrowing money to pay salaries, they are still far better than this unwarranted and endless suffering Nigerians have been subject to. APC was deliberately activated.”
Tanina, ”It’s now that I know that this woman is not even repentant on the evil they plunged Nigeria into by lying against GEJ and pulling it down. Millions died because of their Buhari and Tinubu, and she’s here talking rubbish. No wonder David Hundeyin hated her hypocrisy with passion.”
Mr. Skye, ”As David rightly said, someday, you will be exposed. I have always seen you as a hypocrite, right from the days of Jonathan. You shall be exposed in due time alongside your cronies.”