Former presidential spokesman Garba Shehu has taken a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a birthday tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari, who turns 82 today.

In his birthday message to his former boss, Shehu criticised Obasanjo for undermining his successors while praising Buhari for staying away from Abuja to give the new administration space to stabilise.

“On the other hand, since leaving office, first as a military leader and subsequently as an elected president after two terms, President Olusegun Obasanjo has called and written to every head of state after him to put them to shame or disgrace, and in some cases, outrightly asking for their resignation or ouster in the next election,” he said.

He also noted that since completing his tenure on May 29, 2023, Buhari had only visited the nation’s capital twice, keeping his word to let the new administration function without distraction.

“The former president said to the hearing of everyone that once he handed over to his successor on May 29, 2023, he would be as far away from the nation’s capital, Abuja, so as not to cast a shadow over the new administration, to give them the space to effectively take off and stabilise without distractions. Being willing to renounce power is his extraordinarily admirable trait.”

“Since leaving office, he visited Abuja just twice: first to officiate at the launch of Femi Adesina’s brilliant book Working With Buhari, and the second time as a guest of President Bola Tinubu when they convened a meeting of the Council of State.”

Shehu highlighted that Buhari now enjoys a simple routine, which includes staying updated with the news, spending time with his grandchildren, meeting guests, and inspecting his farm, while also indulging in his love for reading and watching TV shows.