Presidency To  Aregbesola:  Reflect On  Your Time In Public Office, Insists ADC Lacks Nat. Agenda

By Ayodele Oni 

The Presidency has reminded the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, of his failed eight years as Governor of Osun state and unproductive four years as Minister of Interior.

Reacting to comments by Aregbesola during the ADC convention that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s Government is a scam, the Presidency pointed out that the people of Osun State, especially, civil servants will not quickly forget the hardship they were subjected to due to prolonged non payment of salaries by the administration of Aregbesola.

Special Adviser of President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a post on his X,  dismissed the ADC as a gathering of “desperate politicians” without a clear national agenda.

Aregbesola had described the APC-led administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a “classic scam”.

 But Onanuga, in response, wrote: “No, Rauf. The real scammers are the politicians inside the SPV called ADC.”

Onanuga accused Aregbesola of repeating opposition talking points and attempting to distort the Government’s record.

He said: “At the event, Aregbesola reportedly called on his former boss, mentor, and benefactor to resign, parroting the opposition’s warped narratives about the economy and orchestrated reports of terrorist attacks in some parts of the country.”

He also criticised Aregbesola for what he described as a refusal to reflect on his own time in public office.

“His eight years as governor of Osun State were characterised by unmitigated hardship for the people. Civil servants went unpaid for months, and pensioners suffered greatly.”

Speaking on Aregbesola tenure as Minister of Interior, Onanuga said: “During his four years, obtaining a Nigerian passport became a nightmarish process, and there were multiple jailbreaks, including the infamous Kuje prison escape.”

He argued that it was “ironic” for Aregbesola to now speak on insecurity, saying: “For someone who failed so woefully to secure our correctional centres, it is ironic that Aregbesola now seeks to lecture others on insecurity.”

Defending the current administration, Onanuga stated: “The Tinubu administration has never shied away from acknowledging that policy reforms have brought unintended consequences, but we have introduced numerous relief measures, including cash transfers and support for small businesses.”

He further added that economic indicators were improving under the reforms. “We have seen increased GDP, stronger foreign reserves, and a bullish stock market reflecting growing investor confidence.”

“The Renewed Hope Agenda is not a scam,” Onanuga insisted.