Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has passionately defended the President’s right to seek a second term in office, drawing a direct comparison to the two-term tenure of the late Muhammadu Buhari. He dismissed criticisms from certain northern groups as being politically driven and aimed at weakening the current administration.
During a recent interview with Trust Radio on Wednesday, Onanuga responded to growing dissatisfaction voiced by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), which alleged marginalisation of the North under the current Tinubu administration. The ACF had raised concerns over perceived imbalance in political appointments, developmental focus, and federal presence in the region.
Onanuga described the concerns as part of an orchestrated attempt to undermine Southern leadership and create unnecessary regional tension. He argued that President Tinubu, like every Nigerian leader, should be judged based on merit and national unity, not regional loyalty.
“This President is a Nigerian. He deserves the same two terms that Buhari had. Let’s not sacrifice the country for personal ambition,” Onanuga asserted during the radio interview.
He called on northern politicians to demonstrate political maturity and patience, reminding them that Southerners waited through President Buhari’s uninterrupted eight-year administration without destabilising rhetoric or actions. According to him, political fairness demands the same respect in return.
Addressing the accusations that the North is being shortchanged in federal appointments and infrastructure projects, Onanuga firmly rejected the claims, asserting that the problems of development and infrastructure are not unique to any one region. He insisted that every part of Nigeria faces its own challenges and that solutions must be approached from a national, not sectional, perspective.
“You need to get your statistics right. It’s all political mischief designed to undermine the President. There are bad roads across the country, not just in the North,” he stated, stressing the need for facts rather than emotionally charged accusations.
To support his argument, Onanuga highlighted key appointments within the Tinubu administration that favour northern Nigeria, including the positions of the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, and both Defence Ministers. He said these roles demonstrate a commitment to inclusion and national balance.
He also cited security improvements in historically volatile northern regions, such as parts of Kaduna State. Onanuga shared a personal anecdote to illustrate the change, revealing that he recently traveled by road from Kaduna to Abuja without any security threat — a journey that was once considered highly dangerous.
“Places like Birnin Gwari and Igabi (in Kaduna) are now safer. I drove from Kaduna to Abuja without incident, a journey that was once unthinkable,” he noted, adding that such progress should be acknowledged rather than overshadowed by political narratives.
Onanuga concluded by urging Nigerians to embrace unity and fairness, warning that divisive rhetoric could jeopardize the country’s fragile stability. He reiterated that President Tinubu remains committed to delivering good governance across all regions of the country, and therefore deserves the opportunity to complete a second term like his predecessor.