Tinubu’s Camp Fights Back, Taunts Aregbesola’s ‘Misdeeds

The camp of Bola Ahmed Tinubu has fired back hard at growing mockery from opposition figures and the African Democratic Congress, ADC with presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga putting leading oppositionist, Rauf Aregbesola on the defensive.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga led the counter-offensive on Tuesday, unleashing a blistering rebuttal against former Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola after the latter took a swipe at the Tinubu administration during an ADC convention.

Aregbesola had mocked the government as one of “scammers,” urging Nigerians to block its chances of retaining power, warning that it would continue to chant “renewed hope till eternity” if unchecked.

But Tinubu’s camp wasted no time in striking back, dismissing the attack which rocked Nigerian news media as hollow and politically desperate.

“My attention has been drawn to 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, framing the opposition’s criticism as empty rhetoric.

In a move that underscored the Tinubu administration’s fightback strategy, Onanuga turned the spotlight on Aregbesola himself, accusing him of failing to account for his own record before attacking his former political ally.

“Unfortunately, Aregbesola did not undertake any honest self-reflection on his own record in public office—as governor or as Minister of Interior,” he said.

The presidency went further, reopening old wounds from Aregbesola’s tenure in Osun State, alleging economic mismanagement and hardship under his leadership.

According to Onanuga, civil servants suffered months of unpaid salaries, while pensioners were left stranded—conditions he said earned the state notoriety during that period.

He also revisited Aregbesola’s time as Interior Minister under Muhammadu Buhari, citing a wave of jailbreaks and security lapses, including the high-profile Kuje prison break in Abuja.

“For someone who failed so woefully to secure our correctional centres and uphold his duties between 2019 and 2023, it is ironic that Aregbesola now seeks to lecture others on insecurity,” Onanuga said.

Taking the battle directly to the ADC, the presidency accused opposition leaders of lacking substance, branding the party a vehicle for opportunistic politicians.

“The real scammers are the politicians inside the SPV called ADC,” he declared, in what appears to be a direct attempt to neutralise the opposition’s narrative.

Despite the biting exchanges, Tinubu’s camp maintained that the administration remains focused on governance, insisting that ongoing reforms—though painful—are necessary steps toward long-term stability.

Onanuga said the Tinubu government has acknowledged the hardships triggered by its policies but is rolling out measures including wage adjustments, social interventions, and economic reforms to cushion the impact as against the claims of Aregbesola.

He insisted that early signs of recovery are emerging, pointing to improving economic indicators and renewed investor confidence.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda is not a scam,” he said firmly, signaling that the administration will not be bullied into retreat by opposition criticism.

With the war of words escalating, the latest clash highlights a deepening political battle line as Tinubu’s camp moves aggressively to defend its record and push back against mounting ridicule from critics ahead of the 2027 political cycle.