President Muhammadu Buhari has glorified his administration’s handling of scarce resources — a feat, he says, supersedes the achievements of his predecessors.

Mr. Buhari, in his nationwide broadcast to commemorate the nation’s 60th Independence Anniversary, berated leaders of preceding governments for criticising his policies despite presiding over “the near destruction of the country.”

He said: “No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources. We have managed to keep things going in spite of the disproportionate spending on security.

“Those in the previous governments from 1999 – 2015 who presided over the near destruction of the country have now the impudence to attempt to criticise our efforts.”

President Olusegun Obasanjo, who enjoyed a second stint in power from 1999 to 2007, has been a fiery critic of the Buhari administration.

The former military dictator had recently accused Mr. Buhari’s government of ‘mismanagement of diversity and socio-economic development of Nigeria’, adding that the country is fast drifting to a failed state.

Mr. Obasanjo was succeeded in 2007 by Umar Yar’Adua. Goodluck Jonathan was president from 2010 when Mr. Yar’Adua died in office until 2015 when he was defeated at the polls by Mr. Buhari.

Messrs. Obasanjo and Jonathan have been the only two former leaders criticising Mr. Buhari’s government, although Mr. Jonathan is far less controversial than Mr. Obasanjo.