Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s camp has dismissed recent allegations made by Okoi Obono-Obla, one of his former aides, calling him an “empty vessel making the loudest noise.”

In a statement issued by Buhari’s media aides, Obono-Obla’s outburst was criticized as baseless and misleading. The statement read, “A lot of people are circulating the fantastical nonsense from Okoi Obono-Obla. As a fact, I don’t and can’t hold brief for Buhari or anything in his regime, but we need to be careful about conferring credulity upon the claims of a manifest fantasist or fabulist.”

Renowned human rights lawyer, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, expressed concern on social media platform “X” (formerly Twitter) about what he termed “delusional nonsense.” He highlighted a trend of former public officials who, despite their active participation in the previous administration, now seek to distance themselves and criticize their past actions.

Obono-Obla, prior to his appointment, was a lawyer in the office of A.A. Malami, SAN, and a member of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). After the APC’s victory in the 2015 presidential election, Malami, who became the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, nominated Obono-Obla as a Special Adviser on prosecution matters. He later became the chairman of the Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Federal Government Property in August 2017, appointed by then Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

However, Obono-Obla’s tenure was marred by allegations of procedural overreach and unauthorized activities. Reports indicated that he often exceeded his mandate, creating structures and taking actions beyond his authority, which drew numerous warnings and letters from the office of the Vice President.

Obono-Obla was accused of using his position for personal vendettas, with several complaints alleging that during his raids, valuables were looted without proper records. These procedural excesses and allegations of misconduct eventually led to his suspension and the panel’s dissolution.

Premium Times reported multiple incidents where Obono-Obla disregarded directives from the Vice President’s office, continued to investigate unmandated cases, and engaged in activities without proper authorization. His actions were deemed to have derailed the panel’s mandate, leading to significant internal and external criticism.

Despite his suspension, Obono-Obla continued to act as if he were still in office, further exacerbating the situation. The Appeal Court, in a notable case, ruled that his panel lacked prosecutorial powers and could not seize properties or obtain forfeiture orders without proper mandates.

The Buhari administration, noted for its strong anti-corruption stance, had numerous successes through bodies like the EFCC and ICPC, which made significant recoveries and secured high-profile convictions. In contrast, Obono-Obla’s panel was criticized for grandstanding without tangible results.

Buhari’s camp emphasized that the administration allowed agencies a free hand in fighting corruption, resulting in substantial recoveries and international recognition. In stark contrast, they asserted that Obono-Obla’s tenure was marked by unfulfilled promises and procedural violations.

The statement concluded, “He is an empty vessel making the most noise when it comes to the fight against corruption. Well-meaning people should ignore him.”