The Particular Adviser on Info and Technique to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised former Osun State governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) nationwide secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, over his remarks describing the administration’s Renewed Hope agenda as a “rip-off.”
Aregbesola made the feedback on Tuesday on the ADC nationwide conference in Abuja, the place he accused the Tinubu-led authorities of failing to ship on its guarantees almost three years into its tenure.
“4 years in the past, this authorities promised Nigerians renewed hope,” Aregbesola stated.
“Now, three years into its tenure, it’s nonetheless promising renewed hope. When precisely will this hope come into fruition? The reply is straightforward: it’s a rip-off.”
“If allowed, this regime will proceed to chant renewed hope until eternity. We have now an obligation to cease these scammers from retaining energy.”
Responding in a submit on X, Onanuga dismissed Aregbesola’s claims, describing them as deceptive and politically motivated. He additionally criticised the ADC conference and its management.
“My consideration has been drawn to Rauf Aregbesola’s assault on the Tinubu administration at in the present day’s unlawful elective conference of the ADC — a celebration of desperados and energy mongers who, to this point, haven’t articulated any credible plan for Nigeria,” he stated.
“On the occasion, Aregbesola reportedly known as on his former boss, mentor, and benefactor to resign, parroting the opposition’s warped narratives in regards to the financial system and orchestrated reviews of terrorist assaults in some components of the nation.”
Onanuga additionally accused Aregbesola of failing to replicate on his file in public workplace, notably throughout his tenure as governor of Osun State.
“His eight years as governor of Osun State have been characterised by unmitigated hardship for the folks,” he stated.
“Below his half-baked socialist insurance policies, civil servants went unpaid for months, and those that have been paid obtained solely a fraction of their salaries.
“It’s to Aregbesola’s infamy that Osun grew to become generally known as a state receiving unfavorable federal allocation and paying simply 20 to 30 per cent of regular salaries.
“It was worse for pensioners in Aregbesola’s Osun State. Many pensioners who relied on their meagre month-to-month funds died as a result of they weren’t paid in any respect.”
He additional criticised Aregbesola’s tenure as Minister of Inside underneath former President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging widespread insecurity throughout the correctional system.
“As Minister of Inside underneath President Muhammadu Buhari, his tenure witnessed the best variety of jailbreaks in Nigeria’s historical past — together with the notorious Kuje Jail escape in Abuja,” he stated.
“Throughout his 4 years, acquiring a Nigerian passport grew to become a nightmarish course of, and there have been 15 main assaults on correctional amenities in Jos, Abolongo, Imo, Kabba, and Okitipupa, leading to over 4,000 inmates escaping to hitch prison parts.”
Onanuga defended the Tinubu administration’s agenda, insisting that progress is being made underneath the Renewed Hope programme.
“No, Rauf, the Renewed Hope Agenda just isn’t a rip-off. The actual scammers are the politicians gathered contained in the SPV known as ADC,” he added.
Boluwatife Enome
Times Nigeria