2027 Election: Tinubu's Spokesman Reacts as Coalition Adopts ADC, 'Do Not Be Deceived'

• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, has dismissed the coalition by opposition politicians as a gang-up of corrupt desperados hungry for power, scheming to oust the president from office
• In a strongly-worded post, Onanuga dismissed the formal adoption of the ADC as the anti-Tinubu coalition as a “charade” and ridiculed its participants as failed politicians seeking relevance
• The media veteran counselled Nigerians against being deceived by purported defections to the ADC

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering elections, politics, and governance in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - Following the official formation of a coalition, Bayo Onanuga, one of the spokespersons of President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, July 3, asked Nigerians 'not to be deceived' by the opposition’s narrative about their relevance.

In a tweet on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, Onanuga insisted that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will not mourn the decampments of some of its members.

Recall Legit.ng had reported how an anti-Tinubu coalition met on Wednesday, July 2, with some African Democratic Congress (ADC) leaders and appointed former Senate President David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, ex-governor of Osun, as interim national chairman and secretary, respectively.

Bolaji Abdullahi, a former minister of sports, was appointed as the coalition’s spokesperson.

The meeting was also attended by ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Sule Lamido, ex-governor of Jigawa; Uche Secondus, former PDP national chairman; Babangida Aliyu, former governor of Niger; Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi; Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto; and Liyel Imoke, former governor of Cross River.

2027 election: Onanuga rubbishes ADC coalition

Reacting to the development, Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy to President Tinubu, accused the coalition of having no clear agenda. According to him, "these politicians are desperados, hungry for power, not for the benefit of Nigerians but for themselves".

Onanuga tweeted:

"Some members of the hijacked ADC, who were reported as members of the APC, left the APC years and months ago. Let the public not be deceived by the opposition’s narrative about their relevance or whether the APC will mourn their departure.

"Rotimi Amaechi’s soul left the APC in 2022 after losing the presidential primary to President Tinubu.

"Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General, has never hidden his estrangement from the APC since Tinubu assumed leadership and since he lost the governorship bid in Kebbi.

"Hadi Sirika, now with the ADC, is facing trial for contract splitting and other allegations.

"The renegade Rauf Aregbesola committed anti-party activities in the last Osun election and was expelled as an unfit APC member."

He continued:

"Kashim Imam and the octogenarian Chief John Odigie Oyegun are among the disgruntled politicians posturing as would-be saviours of Nigeria. Imam abandoned the APC after failing to secure the vice-presidential ticket in 2022. Chief Oyegun, a former party chairman, also lost interest in the APC and has been a foundational member of this coalition since its inception."

'ADC coalition a club of desperados' - Onanuga

The presidential aide added:

"My advice to Nigerians: Keep your eyes wide open. A political party with no clear agenda or ideology—whose members are united only by their hatred for President Tinubu—cannot be good for our country. It will only set us back by decades."

"These politicians are desperados, hungry for power, not for the benefit of Nigerians but for themselves. They want power at all costs because they cannot endure another four years in the political wilderness or be banished to political winter and irrelevance."

He concluded:

"What is certain is that the group will soon unravel due to their irreconcilable personal ambitions."

Read more on the anti-Tinubu coalition:

• Drama as opposition blows hot after Abuja Hotel suddenly cancels ADC unveiling hours before event
• ADC: Full text of Rauf Aregbesola's speech as he becomes secretary of anti-Tinubu coalition

Amaechi resigns from APC, joins ADC

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, finally resigned from the ruling APC and joined the ADC.

Amaechi, who was a two-term governor of Rivers state, stated that Nigeria has been destroyed and that the country needed change.

The former governor then accused the APC-led federal government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of working together to hijack the next general elections in the country.

Source: Legit.ng