Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has insisted the President is entitled to a second term in office just as the late Muhammadu Buhari enjoyed, dismissing recent criticisms from northern groups as politically driven
In an interview with Trust Radio on Wednesday, Onanuga responded to concerns raised by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), which had accused the Tinubu administration of sidelining the North.
He described the complaints as part of a broader agenda to destabilize the Southern presidency and advance personal political interests.
“This President is a Nigerian. He deserves the same two terms that Buhari had. Let’s not sacrifice the country for personal ambition,” Onanuga declared.
He urged northern politicians to show the same restraint southerners demonstrated during Buhari’s eight-year rule, stressing that patience is a necessary part of democratic governance.
Addressing claims of marginalisation in appointments and infrastructure, Onanuga argued that underdevelopment is a nationwide issue, not unique to the North.
“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 said.
He emphasized that several top security positions under Tinubu are occupied by Northerners — including the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, and the Defence Ministers — as proof of equitable representation.
Onanuga also pointed to security improvements in certain areas, particularly in Kaduna State.
“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.
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