‘Real Scammers Are ADC Members’ — Onanuga Fires Back At Aregbesola

Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, following his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ as a scam, saying politicians within the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) were “the real scammers”.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Onanuga dismissed Aregbesola’s remarks at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) nationa convention, describing the opposition coalition as “a party of desperados and power mongers” lacking any credible vision for Nigeria.

He rebutted Aregbesola’s criticism with a piece titled, “No, Rauf, the Renewed Hope Agenda is not a scam. The real scammers are the politicians gathered inside the SPV called ADC.”

Onanuga wrote: “My attention has been drawn to Rauf Aregbesola’s attack on the Tinubu administration at today’s illegal elective convention of the ADC—a party of desperados and power mongers who, to date, have not articulated any credible plan for Nigeria,” Onanuga said.

He criticised Aregbesola for calling on President Tinubu to resign, accusing him of “parroting the opposition’s warped narratives about the economy and orchestrated reports of terrorist attacks.”

Onanuga further accused Aregbesola of failing to reflect on his own performance while serving as governor of Osun State, describing his tenure as one marked by hardship and economic mismanagement.

“His eight years as governor of Osun State were characterised by unmitigated hardship for the people,” he said.

According to him, Aregbesola’s policies led to months of unpaid salaries and severe financial strain on workers and pensioners in the State.

“Civil servants went unpaid for months, and those who were paid received only a fraction of their salaries… It was worse for pensioners… Many pensioners… died because they were not paid at all,” he added.

Onanuga argued that Aregbesola left behind “a legacy of unpaid salaries, financial recklessness, abandoned projects, and misguided policies that brought the state to ruin,” noting that his successors, including Adegboyega Oyetola and Ademola Adeleke, have had to grapple with the aftermath.

The presidential aide also faulted Aregbesola’s performance as Minister of Interior under former President Muhammadu Buhari, linking his tenure to rising insecurity within correctional facilities.

“As Minister of Interior… his tenure witnessed the highest number of jailbreaks in Nigeria’s history—including the infamous Kuje Prison escape in Abuja,” Onanuga said.

He claimed that between 2019 and 2023, there were at least 15 major attacks on correctional facilities across the country, resulting in over 4,000 inmates escaping.

“For someone who failed so woefully to secure our correctional centres… it is ironic that Aregbesola now seeks to lecture others on insecurity. Maybe he thinks the entire Nigerian population suffers from amnesia,” he added.

Defending the Tinubu administration, Onanuga acknowledged that recent economic reforms have had difficult consequences but insisted that the government has taken steps to cushion the impact.

“The Tinubu administration has never shied away from acknowledging that policy reforms have brought unintended consequences… However… the government has introduced numerous relief measures,” he said.

He listed measures such as increased minimum wage, cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians, support for small businesses, and a reduction in inflation “to less than 15 per cent from over 25 per cent.”

Onanuga also maintained that the administration is actively tackling insecurity through increased support for the military and intelligence agencies, alongside collaboration with foreign partners.

In a strongly worded conclusion, Onanuga warned Nigerians against what he described as opportunistic politicians within the ADC, accusing them of exploiting security challenges for political gain.

“Politicians may indulge in cheap talk and easy criticism, but Nigerians must never forget the abysmal records of Rauf and his fellow desperados,” he said.

“Nigerians must remain vigilant, lest power-hungry individuals with no programme attempt to hoodwink them.”