The impending “Tinubu Must- Go” nationwide protest is heating up Nigeria, and President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is not helping matters with his continuous attack on Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
Onanuga is alleging that Obi’s supporters are the people planning mayhem in the country, and Obi should be held responsible for anarchy.
He wrote, “don’t be fooled: the malcontents planning to stage nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party. And he should be held responsible for whatever crisis emanates from the action.”
In a swift reaction, the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) is raising an alarm over an alleged plot to frame and arrest the former governor of Anambra State who contested against Tinubu in the controversial February 25, 2023 presidential election..
POMR says its attention was drawn to what it described as “the wild, wicked and baseless allegations” by Onanuga, accusing Obi of being behind the planned hardship protest in the country.
According to them, “the flippant presidential spokesman in his long epistle said that the former governor of Anambra should be held accountable for any mayhem that may arise in the protest.”
In a statement by Dr Tanko Yunusa, POMR said it “can report from good and reliable authority that these unsubstantiated allegations are being orchestrated to arrest Obi, limit his freedom and association and stop his propagation for good governance which they find injurious to their lavish lifestyle
“Peter Obi by his mien in and out of political office has not shown or been associated with violence even in the most obvious provocations.
“He has always shown even during the electioneering that he is issue-driven as he carries on without calling anybody’s name.
POMR is also aware that multiple attack dogs have been hired and strategically deployed to ensure that Obi does not enjoy the ear of the Nigerian populace who are keen on hearing his voice on issues.
“These spin doctors and hirelings, to justify their pay, indulge in all kinds of falsehood ostensibly to distract Obi and confuse Nigerians who already see Obi as a suitable balm in the current turbulent political and economic environment.
“All the problems real and imagined created by their insensitivity and lavish lifestyle they have curiously tried to link to Obi.
“Notable challenges of the administration which are a consequence of their actions and inactions like fuel subsidy fallouts, growing poverty in the land, inflation, nepotism and unresolved historical conflicts among others they blame all on Obi.
“POMR, therefore, wish to urge Nigerians to ignore the Presidency’s cheap blackmail as Obi and the Obedient family all over the country and in the diaspora remain resolute in their search for a new Nigeria that is possible and would not be cowed or be made to lose focus.”
Almost at the same time Onanuga exploded, Obi, alerted Nigerians to false promises of online “giveaways” in the form of cash gifts, recharge cards, and other material items, which are being fraudulently advertised in his name by unidentified individuals.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Valentine Obienyem, Obi clarified that he is not involved in any such schemes targeting unsuspecting Nigerians.
He stressed that he does not participate in sharing freebies online. Instead, he is focused on working for the nation’s betterment by investing in critical areas such as health, education, and poverty alleviation.
Obi noted that these fraudulent schemes have increased as his birthday approached, with many promising substantial birthday packages in his name to deceive innocent Nigerians.
“I thank my fellow Nigerians for their kind thoughts and prayers during my birthday on July 19, 2024. However, as I mentioned on my X account, I redirected all the resources I would have used for celebrations into critical areas of health, education, and poverty alleviation. I am not involved in any birthday giveaways being circulated online”, Obi stated.
He is urging Nigerians to remain law-abiding and prayerful for God’s divine intervention in the nation, while reiterating his commitment to building a New Nigeria.
In June 2020, Obi, condemned in the strongest terms the incessant killing of Nigerians on the country’s highways. He was reacting to the killing of a popular Kogi-based businessman, Chuks Ofodile, along the Gegu-Koton Federal Highway in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
In a statement by his Media Office, Obi lamented that “the rapidity with which Nigerian lives are taken is not met with commensurate and visible efforts to address the security lapses.” He therefore called on federal and state governments to wake up to their responsibilities.
Describing as highly regrettable, the killing of Offodile, who owned a chain of supermarkets across the country, Obi said: “Entrepreneurs like him, who started from nothing but by dint of hard work rose to positions where they have contributed immensely to the building of a better country through assisting government on employment, payment of taxes and fulfillment of other obligations, should be accorded deserved treatment.”
He appealed to federal, state and local authorities “to strengthen security and save the lives of Nigerians, including entrepreneurs that will assist in the employment of Nigerians, especially now it has been conclusively proven that job loss is concomitant with the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Obi further said that “if the security situation is left to deteriorate, it will scare away investors, with the attendant negative effects on the economy, in addition to the psychological havoc such killings would wreak on Nigerians who are battling the global COVID-19 pandemic.”
He then prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of Mr. Nicolas Offodile as well as the souls of all those who died in similar circumstances. He also prayed to God to comfort those they left behind.
In January 2022, Obi, called for a renewed spirit of hope and hard work among Nigerians in 2022, even as he urges Nigerians not to give up on the country.
In his 2022 New Year Message, Obi explained that though things were difficult in the country at the moment, Nigerians should remain resolute in their struggle for a better nation. He reminded them that everyone had a role to play for the development and progress of the nation.
“While every indices of development is in the negative direction in Nigeria, we must not allow this ship called Nigeria to sink. With hope and collective hard work, we can turn around the trajectory of the nation”, Obi said.
As the country geared up for the flawed 2023 polls, Obi advised Nigerians to critically re-evaluate their leadership selection process, which, he said, was crucial to the future survival and progress of the nation.
“May this new year rekindle in us the resolve to do what is right for the sake of our nation. May we find the inner strength to live above our present challenges and continue to collectively contribute positively to building our nation”, he implored.
Obi, who was Atiku Abubakar’s presidential running mate in 2019 poll on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), wished every Nigerian a productive new year while praying God to bless all their productive endeavours.
Disturbingly, Onanuga in March 2023, accused Obi of trying to deal Tinubu, then the president-elect, the same way retired military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), dealt with MKO Abiola, whose presidential election victory got annulled 30 years ago at the time.
He vociferously claimed that Obi’s move to challenge the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, could be viewed in the same way that the 1993 election of MKO Abiola was invalidated by IBB.
“Peter Obi of Labour Party seeks the annulment of the election of President-elect Bola Tinubu just like the military annulled MKO Abiola’s election of 12 June 1993”, Onanuga tweeted in another attempt to pit Nigerians of Yoruba and Igbo descents against each other.
He, however, said Tinubu and his supporters were prepared to defend his election victory asserting “Team Tinubu will certainly meet you (Obi) in court.”
Since the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won the governorship election in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, Onanuga has continued to make inciting anti-Igbo remarks that threatens the long-standing peaceful co-existence between both major ethnic groups.
After the outcome of the 2023 gubernatorial poll, Onanuga threatened Ndịgbo never to interfere in Lagos politics again
“Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics,” Onanuga said, tweeting a photo of Peter Obi, an Igbo from Anambra State who backed Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, a Yoruba from Lagos, in the Saturday’s election. “Let there be no repeat in 2027”, he said.
Despite being condemned by his colleague, Festus Keyamo, the incumbent Aviation Minister, Onanuga only seemed more confident in describing Ndịgbo as “existential threats to Yoruba”
In April 2023, Onanuga, asked Obi to call his supporters, which he described as a ”verminous mob”, to order. That was in a post via his verified X handle. He was reacting to a tweet by one JJ. Omojuwa @Omojuwa, who alleged that the TIME staff that wrote ”the Bola Tinubu: Most Influential People of 2023′ story was under attack by the renowned headless mob.
The tweet further claimed that she had locked her Twitter account. Onanuga, however, said Obi should call them to order before they commit murder in his name.
“Peter Obi’s verminous mob continues to embarrass our country because it can’t stomach the reality that he woefully lost the presidential election. Obi should please call these noxious characters to order before they commit murder in his name”, he wrote.
Currently, the Tinubu administration, through Onanuga, is accusing Obi, and his supporters of plotting the nationwide protest.
Onanuga claims that the protesters are the same individuals who masterminded the EndSARS protest in 2020 and were now using hashtags like “EndBadGovernance” and “Tinubu Must Go” to spread propaganda.
He warned that their actions could lead to high treason and urged security operatives to interrogate the protest planners.
He further said “If they understand the meaning of their hashtags, they will realise they are clarion calls for treason. Wanting to end an elected government is high treason. Wanting revolution is a call for a coup d’état, which is also high treason.
“President Tinubu has a four-year mandate to run his agenda. Those calling for protest should wait till 2027 to either re-elect him or elect their messiah, Peter Obi. The federal government distributed trucks of rice to states to cushion effects of hunger and raised minimum wage to N70,000 from N30,000.
“If they understand the meaning of their hashtags, they will realize they are clarion calls for treason. Wanting to end an elected government is high treason. Wanting revolution is a call for a coup d’etat, which is also high treason.
“Security agents should, by now, begin to interrogate these agents of destabilisation. There is no country in the world where people are not going through some economic challenges and where the cost of living is not a major issue.
“No country is immune from economic turbulence at the moment. Civilised and democratic people wait for another election to make leadership changes. They don’t trigger mayhem in their countries by staging protests, the end of which nobody can predict.
“Nigerian citizens must consider the government’s attitude and concern about the cost of living crisis when deciding whether to join the protests by the Labour Party and IPOB supporters.
“The Tinubu government has not been found wanting in this regard. The minimum wage has been increased by more than 100 percent. Loans are being disbursed to students in tertiary schools.
“A credit corporation has been launched to promote consumption credit. Palliatives, including the latest distribution of 740 trucks of rice to the 36 states and Abuja, are being rolled out. Businesses, such as pharmaceuticals, are being assisted. The Federal and state governments are investing heavily in agriculture to produce more food.
“The economy is improving, inflation is slowing, the national debt has been reduced in dollar terms, and the FIRS has increased revenue generation to record levels. Investors are coming back to our country. Our stock market is the best in the world, with a 33 percent return on investment.
“President Tinubu has a four-year mandate to run his agenda. Those calling for protest should wait till 2027 to either re-elect him or elect their Messiah, Peter Obi”, the presidential aide said.
Unstatesmanly utterances like Onanuga oozing out from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, do not tend to speak well of President Tinubu.
At times like this the electorate are suffering from the harsh economic policies of Tinubunomics,, the country certainly needs presidential media aides that will assiduously present their principal as a real statesman, and not a pro-war monger.
For those who know better, a statesman is a person who shows wisdom, skill, and vision in conducting state affairs and dealing with public issues, Statesmen, they say, only see the collective interest.
But, it seems Onanuga has not yet purged himself of the guerilla journalism he was used to during his anti-military dictatorship days with TheNEWS magazine.
Together with Seye Kehinde, owner of City People magazine, Dapo Olorunyomi publisher of Premium Times, Sani Kabir, who later became Sarki of Hausawa in Ebute Meta, Idowu Obasa, who served as Chairman in Onigbongbo Local Government in Ikeja, Lagos, Senator Babafemi Ojudu of Ekiti State, and Kunle Ajibade, Onanuga teamed up to set up The NEWS magazine in February 1993.
In 2014, he declared his interest to contest for a senatorial position in Ogun East Senatorial District in the 2015 elections on the platform of APC. During the Sani Abacha military dictatorship, he was held captive by the State Security Service in Lagos for some time but later escaped and left the country and returned in 1998 after the death of Abacha.
After TheNEWS was shut down by the military government, the group floated TEMPO magazine and later P.M.NEWS in 1994.
However, Nigeria is facing profound economic, environmental, political, religious, and security challenges. The Tinubu administration needs to respond to the economic disruptions, concerns of oil-bearing communities about the exit of big oil, and of course, the scourge of insurgency.
Abuja needs to reckon with the demographic growth that is transforming Nigeria’s ethno-religious, and regional composition. It needs to mitigate and adapt to the worrisome climate change, and the dislocations occurring as its result. We need to navigate an intensifying geostrategic competition with China’s authoritarian system. And, before it can devote sufficient attention to Obi or any other perceived threat to Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, Nigeria under President Tinubu’s watch needs to fully tackle its pressing challenges, and how to handle the Covid-19 pandemic which appears to be staging a comeback.
