From Ahmad Muhammadu, Bauchi
A former Gubernatorial Aspirant under the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bauchi State, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Alamin has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution his Special Adviser on Media Bayo Onanuga as well as all his aides against making inflammatory statements that could further heat up the polity.
Al’amin said this in a rejoinder sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which was made available to reporters.
The rejoinder was responding to a statement said to be credited to the Presidency alleging that opposition parties are plotting to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration before the 2027 general election.
He described the claim as “reckless and malicious,” warning that it may be a pretext to suppress dissent and intimidate political opponents.
Onanuga had written on X (formerly Twitter) that “haters of Nigeria’s progress are banding together to overthrow an administration that has been the most focused, most transformative in our history.”
He warned that such baseless allegations could signal a broader campaign of repression against opposition leaders and erode the foundations of Nigeria’s democracy.
“The president must resist the temptation to cry wolf where there is none. It only betrays a sense of panic and undermines his democratic credentials.”
Al’amin said the statement by Onanuga raises false alarms,and stirring unnecessary political tension.
“This time, he accuses the opposition of plotting to topple President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But before Nigerians take him seriously, we must ask: Where was Bayo when the real provocation started.
Where was he when Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, as APC National Chairman, stepped into Gombe the heart of the North East and birthplace of Vice President Kashim Shettima to declare President Tinubu the sole APC candidate for 2027? A political move made without consultation, without regional unity, and without even publicly acknowledging the Vice President as a son of the soil.
“Was that not a reckless act? Was that not a direct insult to the sensibilities of the entire North East? Was that not the very definition of politicking at the wrong time, while Nigerians were collapsing under economic hardship, inflation, and insecurity,” he queried.
The former Gubernatorial Aspirant said Onanuga watched silently as APC leaders provoked a region that delivered massively for Tinubu in 2023. If not for the maturity and divine restraint of Northern elders, this country could have faced a major political backlash”
He said “enough is enough:
This is not the time for divisive rhetoric. Bayo Onanuga must be called to order or removed entirely. His words are not helping President Tinubu, they are damaging his reputation further and provoking national unity.
This is a final warning: Nigeria is sitting on economic and political fragility. The Presidency cannot afford a spokesperson who is reckless, tribalistic, and allergic to truth”
Al’amin said “the opposition has every right to regroup. They are not criminals. They are Nigerians. The real enemies are those who insult other regions, ignore public suffering, and still have the boldness to attack critics.
GOVERNANCE IS NEEDED. NOT MEDIA NOISE:
If Bayo cannot deliver truth and peace, he should resign or be sacked before it’s too late”.
He called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and resist any efforts to delegitimize the democratic freedom and urged the international community to monitor the political environment and hold the government accountable for any actions that threaten democratic freedom.
