The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, says the administration’s Renewed Hope agenda is not a scam, responding to comments by former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola.
Mr Aregbesola, who is also national secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), spoke at the party’s national convention in Abuja on Tuesday, where he criticised the government and called on President Tinubu to resign.
He said, “The ruling party never had a vision; its Renewed Hope agenda was a scam.”
Aregbesola said the ADC was “on a rescue mission” to take the country from the All Progressives Congress.
He criticised the economy, saying the exchange rate moved from about N700 to the dollar in 2023 to about N1,400. He said, “The government’s claim that the recent reduction in the exchange rate shows its mastery of economics is false.”
On fuel prices, he said, “Before this administration, the cost of a litre of fuel was between N185 and N238… now it is about N1,400 per litre and still rising.”
He added that transport costs have made it difficult for some workers to go to work.
On power supply, Aregbesola said some areas receive about two hours of electricity daily, while others have stayed without power for long periods. “Today, power supply is far worse,” he said.
He also criticised insecurity and said the government had not responded as expected to attacks in parts of the country.
Calling on the president to step down, he said, “Ordinarily… an honest president should simply step down and not seek reelection.”
In response on Tuesday, Onanuga said Aregbesola had no basis to criticise the administration, citing his record in office.
“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.
Onanuga said Aregbesola’s time as governor of Osun included periods when salaries and pensions were not paid.
“Many pensioners… died because they were not paid at all,” he said.
He added that Aregbesola’s successor Adegboyega Oyetola addressed some of the issues, while the current governor Ademola Adeleke is still dealing with them.
Onanuga also criticised Aregbesola’s time as minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying there were several attacks on correctional centres, including the 2022 Kuje prison break.
“During his four years, obtaining a Nigerian passport became a nightmarish process, and there were 15 major attacks on correctional facilities… resulting in over 4,000 inmates escaping,” he said.
He said the administration has introduced measures to address economic challenges.
“The Tinubu administration has never shied away from acknowledging that policy reforms have brought unintended consequences,” he said.
Onanuga added, “No, Rauf, the Renewed Hope Agenda is not a scam. The real scammers are the politicians gathered inside the ADC.”
