The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has described the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a platform for “scammers, desperate politicians” lacking a coherent national agenda.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Onanuga made the remarks while reacting to criticism of President Tinubu by a chieftain of the party, Rauf Aregbesola, during the party’s National Convention held in Abuja.
Aregbesola, who serves as the National Secretary of the ADC, had earlier described the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a “classic scam.”
Responding via his 𝕏 handle, Onanuga fired back, stating, “No, Rauf. The real scammers are the politicians inside the SPV called ADC.”
He accused the former minister of echoing opposition narratives and misrepresenting the performance of the current administration.
Onanuga further criticised Aregbesola for allegedly calling on President Tinubu, whom he described as his “former boss, mentor, and benefactor”, to resign.
“At the event, Aregbesola reportedly called on his former boss, mentor, and benefactor to resign, parroting the opposition’s warped narratives about the economy and orchestrated reports of terrorist attacks in some parts of the country,” Onanuga said.
The presidential aide also took a swipe at Aregbesola’s tenure as governor of Osun State, accusing him of leaving behind a legacy of hardship.
“His eight years as governor of Osun State were characterised by unmitigated hardship for the people. Civil servants went unpaid for months, and pensioners suffered greatly,” he alleged.
Onanuga did not spare Aregbesola’s time as Minister of Interior, describing the period as fraught with administrative challenges.
“During his four years, obtaining a Nigerian passport became a nightmarish process, and there were multiple jailbreaks, including the infamous Kuje prison escape,” he said.
He added that it was “ironic” for Aregbesola to criticise the government on insecurity.
“For someone who failed so woefully to secure our correctional centres, it is ironic that Aregbesola now seeks to lecture others on insecurity,” Onanuga stated.
Defending the Tinubu administration, Onanuga maintained that the government had been transparent about the impact of its reforms while rolling out measures to cushion the effects.
“The Tinubu administration has never shied away from acknowledging that policy reforms have brought unintended consequences, but we have introduced numerous relief measures, including cash transfers and support for small businesses,” he said.
He added that key economic indicators were showing signs of improvement.
“We have seen increased GDP, stronger foreign reserves, and a bullish stock market reflecting growing investor confidence,” Onanuga noted.
Reaffirming the administration’s stance, Onanuga insisted that the government’s reform agenda remains credible.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda is not a scam,” he said.