Onanuga Blasts Aregbesola and labels ADC as ‘SPV of Scammers” in Fierce Defence Of Tinubu (19459000)
On Tuesday, a sharp war of words broke out as the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga launched an attack against former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola. He accused him of hypocrisy and poor governance.
Onanuga, in a post on his X account that was strongly worded, dismissed Aregbesola’s criticism of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s as “cheap talking,” insisting the “real scammers” were politicians who operated within what he called a Special Purpose Vehicle(SPV), known as the African Democratic Congress.
Onanuga, the presidential adviser’s boss, responded to Aregbesola after he allegedly made remarks at an African Democratic Congress “illegal electoral convention”, where the former Minister allegedly asked Tinubu for his resignation and repeated opposition narratives about the economy and security.
Aregbesola’s Record Under Fire
Onanuga was not shy in his evaluation of Aregbesola, describing his eight years as Governor of Osun State’s as marked by financial hardship and administrative failure.
He said that civil servants were not paid for months, and those who did receive wages received only a small fraction.
He said that pensioners were most affected, and some died due to the prolonged non-payment.
He called Aregbesola’s policies “half-baked socialistism”, which plunged Osun into financial ruin. Osun was also known for its negative federal funding and dramatically reduced salaries.
Adegboyega Oyetola’s successor Adegbesola, the spokesman said, stabilised the finances of the state. He noted that Ademola Adeleke’s current administration is still dealing with its aftermath.
Interior Ministry Tenure is Criticised
Onanuga also focused on Aregbesola’s tenure as Interior Minister under the former President Muhammadu Buhari. He described the time period as a period of unprecedented security failures in Nigeria’s correctional system.
As evidence for Aregbesola’s “woeful” failure in office, he cited numerous jailbreaks in the country. This included the Kuje Prison Break in Abuja. Further, he claimed that more than 4,000 prisoners escaped from correctional facilities during the attacks in various states. This aggravated security issues in Nigeria.
He added that the passport-issuing process for Nigerians deteriorated during this time period into “a nightmare”.
Tinubu’s policies defended
Onanuga, in defending Tinubu’s administration acknowledged recent economic reforms had been difficult but claimed that the government took deliberate measures to reduce the impact of the changes on the citizens.
He highlighted such measures as an increase in minimum wages, cash transfers for Nigerians who are vulnerable, and the support of small businesses.
He claimed the inflation rate has fallen from more than 25 percent to less than 15 percent, and that food prices have also decreased.
The presidential spokesperson said that the administration had increased support to the military and the intelligence agencies by investing in equipment, and forming international partnerships against terrorism and criminality.
“Renewed hope is not a scam”
Onanuga ended by affirming his confidence in the economic blueprint of the Obama administration, calling the agenda “Renewed hope” a global success that has attracted international recognition.
As indicators of progress, he cited improvements in the GDP, investor confidence and foreign reserves as well as an uptick in stock prices.
Onanuga reacted strongly to Aregbesola’s criticism.
The Renewed Hope Agenda does not involve a fraud. “The real con artists are the politicians who have gathered in the SPV ADC.”
This exchange highlights the deepening cracks in Nigeria’s political classes, especially amongst former allies as the fight for public perception increases ahead of future elections.
