President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday accused former president Olusegun Obasanjo of misappropriating $16 billion electricity project he spearheaded during his tenure, Independentng reports.

The president made the accusation while playing host to members of the Buhari Support Organisations led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali, at the Presidential Villa.

He said,

“Any discerning mind would be quick to ask the pertinent question of why Nigerians cannot enjoy efficient power supply if huge amounts were expended in the power sector for 16 years.”

Buhari pointed out that instead of attacking his government at any given opportunity, the citizens should also question the level of impunity that took place when the country was swimming in affluence owing to huge earnings from oil.

The president also took a swipe at the National Assembly, saying they feigned ignorance while the country was looted dry.

He described the entire actors that featured in the 16-year government under the opposition People Democratic Party as people lacking love for the country.

He said,

‘‘Sometimes, I wonder about those who can afford to send their children abroad for studies and yet continue to sabotage the economy. I wonder what kind of Nigeria they want their children to return to and work in. There is a lot of lack of imagination.

“I think they lack imagination because if you’re fighting for the country then you shouldn’t be misappropriating or misapplying the fund the way people did.

“I have to repeat what I want the public to understand here. Some of you may not have heard it: either there is no power in your place or even to power your television. I said, and I challenge anybody to check from Europe, Asia and America.

“Between 1999 and 2014, Nigeria was getting 2.1million barrels per day with an average cost of $100 dollars per barrel. It went up to $143 per barrel. Nigeria was earning 2.1million multiplied by $100 dollars multiplied by 16 years, seven days a week.

“When we came, it collapsed to $37-38 and it was oscillating between $40 and $54 sometimes.
‘‘I went to the CBN Governor, with my cap in my hand, and asked if we had savings. He told me we had only debts, no savings.” 

‘‘One of the former Heads of State was bragging that he spent more than 15 billion USD on power in Nigeria. Where is the power?’’

The president noted that under his watch, the 2016 and 2017 budgets recorded the highest appropriation and releases in capital projects, with over N2.8 trillion disbursements in two years.

Recall that Obasanjo, who is currently behind the Third Force movement, had written an open letter to the president, advising him to forget his second term bid due to the poor performance.