Sanwo-Olu critics power-hungry politicians—this searing label from Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesperson, has ignited a fierce backlash against political opponents and elevated the debate over leadership, legitimacy, and reform in Nigeria’s pre-election landscape.

“Those calling for Tinubu’s removal are power-hungry politicians,” declared Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu. His blistering retort underscores the intensifying tensions of Nigeria’s political battlefield, where the upcoming 2027 election is already shaping alliances and narratives.

A Bold Rebuttal to Opposition Momentum

Onanuga’s message is direct and unflinching. Speaking via social media, he characterized Governor Nasir El-Rufai and coalition allies in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as “politically displaced and irrelevant,” driven not by ideology but by a desperate lust for relevance.

He drilled deeper, labeling them “desperadoes” devoid of vision and united only in their animosity toward Tinubu: “A political party with no agenda—whose members are united only by hatred for President Tinubu—cannot be good for our country.”

The ADC coalition, comprising figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and El-Rufai, has been portrayed by Onanuga as a “hijacked” platform—bereft of coherent policy, born of ambition and resentment.

Setting the Stage: Pre-Election Posturing

Though the 2027 general election is still two years away, Nigeria’s political landscape is already on election footing. Both sides are mobilizing, and the rhetoric is sharp.

The ADC’s formation and messaging have sent ripples across the political spectrum. Yet, Onanuga insists Tinubu is not distracted by fringe threats:

“He cannot be distracted … It’s all about their self-interest.” TheCable

At the same time, he celebrated Tinubu’s economic record—highlighting stock market gains, improved reserves, reduced inflation, and social welfare programs like NELFUND for students and humanitarian cash transfers.