Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has issued a sharp public response to recent comments made by Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress, urging the former governor to accept the official outcome of the 2023 presidential election. The statement came in reaction to a television interview granted by Obi on Channels Television, during which he reiterated claims that he was the true winner of the 2023 poll and had been unfairly rigged out of victory.
In his official statement, Onanuga described the televised appearance as a major public relations disaster for the opposition politician, arguing that the former governor continues to live in a state of denial regarding the electoral outcome. According to Onanuga, Obi failed to secure the presidency and ultimately finished in a distant third place behind the top two candidates. The presidential spokesperson emphasized that years have passed since the Supreme Court of Nigeria thoroughly evaluated the legal challenges brought forward by opposition petitioners and formally dismissed Obi's petition, thereby legally and constitutionally solidifying the election results.
Analyzing specific segments of the television interview, Onanuga highlighted two major issues that captured his attention during the broadcast anchored by journalist Seun Okinbaloye. The first issue concerned Obi's response when questioned about his history of changes in political party affiliation over the course of his career. During the interview, Obi attempted to downplay his political movements by suggesting that his personal trajectory was no different from that of President Bola Tinubu.
Onanuga strongly rejected this comparison, arguing that President Tinubu has maintained a consistent political philosophy and progressive ideological path throughout a public career spanning several decades. He pointed out that since Tinubu entered partisan politics in the early 1990s, he has remained steadfast within progressive political movements. Onanuga noted that Tinubu began his elected career under the banner of the Social Democratic Party, winning a seat in the Senate with a record-setting vote tally, and subsequently contributed to building successive progressive political platforms that eventually merged to form the ruling All Progressives Congress. Onanuga asserted that Obi's movement across distinct political parties with contrasting ideologies bears no real resemblance to the President's documented political history.
The second key point raised by Onanuga focused on Obi's refusal to acknowledge his defeat when given an opportunity during the broadcast to clarify his stance on the 2023 presidential contest. The presidential spokesperson acknowledged that Obi mounted a notable campaign in 2023, particularly given his lack of established party structure across many states and his heavy reliance on digital activism across social media platforms like X, Instagram, and Facebook. However, Onanuga expressed surprise that Obi continues to nurse claims of victory long after the highest court in the nation rendered its final verdict on the matter.
Onanuga urged Obi to stop echoing what he described as unfounded claims held by his followers and to face the political reality of his third-place finish. He cautioned the opposition figure against clinging to unrealistic hopes of an electoral outcome that never occurred, advising him to move past the 2023 contest and engage with the current political landscape in a more constructive manner. The exchange highlights the ongoing political dialogue between the presidency and opposition figures as debate continues around past electoral outcomes and political alignments ahead of future national contests.
