The Presidency has firmly denied allegations that President Bola Tinubu is responsible for recent disruptions experienced by opposition parties across the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, described the accusations as baseless and an attempt by the opposition to sow confusion. There is this tendency in Nigeria to scapegoat Tinubu for everything,” Onanuga said.
“People face challenges, and the first thing they say is, ‘It’s Tinubu.’ But it’s not true. He wasn’t even in the country when some of these events happened.”
He dismissed claims that the current administration is cracking down on dissent, insisting that the Tinubu-led government upholds the principles of democracy and free expression.
“This government allows freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, and freedom of the press,” he stated. “If a hotel cancels an event booking, does that mean Tinubu owns the hotel?”
His comments come in response to allegations from opposition figures, who claimed their planned political events were disrupted, with venues suddenly canceled and supporters allegedly forced to walk long distances to avoid police barricades near the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
Onanuga emphasized that President Tinubu has never instructed anyone to suppress the opposition, adding that the administration remains focused on governance and national development.
He further stated that the President, buoyed by the goodwill his administration continues to generate across the country, is confident of a strong re-election campaign when the time comes.
