A senior presidential aide has mocked the opposition coalition following reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo may declare support for the African Democratic Congress, arguing that the ex-president’s endorsement historically brings electoral misfortune to opposition parties.
Bayo Onanuga, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, responded sarcastically to social media reports suggesting Obasanjo’s impending public backing for the ADC-led opposition alliance formed to challenge Tinubu in 2027.
The rumors circulated through a post claiming “Obasanjo allegedly set to declare public support for ADC, says Nigeria needs a new force to end failure,” prompting swift reaction from the presidency’s communications team.
Onanuga characterized the potential endorsement as detrimental to the opposition coalition’s prospects, citing Obasanjo’s track record of supporting unsuccessful opposition candidates in recent electoral cycles.
“This is bad news for the tottering coalition. Obasanjo endorsed opposition parties in 2019 and 2023. They all failed,” Onanuga wrote, suggesting that the former president’s support serves as a harbinger of electoral defeat rather than success.
The presidential aide’s comments reflect the administration’s confidence in its political position while simultaneously attempting to undermine the opposition coalition’s credibility by associating it with past electoral failures.
Onanuga’s reference to the coalition as “tottering” suggests government officials view the opposition alliance as unstable or vulnerable, despite the high-profile nature of its recent launch and membership.
The potential Obasanjo endorsement would represent a significant development for the opposition coalition, given the former president’s continued influence in Nigerian politics and his history of interventions in electoral processes.
Obasanjo previously demonstrated his willingness to support opposition movements when his Coalition for Nigeria Movement adopted the ADC as a platform to challenge then-President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the 2019 elections.
The former president announced that decision during a May 10, 2018 press conference, attended by former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and other political stakeholders, positioning the movement as a non-partisan effort to address governance challenges.
During that 2018 announcement, Obasanjo characterized his movement as designed to “redeem” Nigeria from what he described as the “lice of poor performance” under Buhari’s administration, demonstrating his willingness to use strong language against incumbent governments.
The ADC’s previous association with Obasanjo through the Coalition for Nigeria Movement establishes a historical precedent for the former president’s potential renewed support for the party as an opposition platform.
However, Onanuga’s reminder of past electoral outcomes suggests the presidency views Obasanjo’s endorsement pattern as ultimately ineffective, potentially diminishing its impact on voter perceptions.
The 2019 election saw ADC presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu receive minimal support despite Obasanjo’s movement’s endorsement, while the 2023 cycle witnessed opposition candidates backed by the former president failing to defeat the APC.
Onanuga’s response also reflects the administration’s strategy of preemptively undermining opposition narratives while projecting confidence about the government’s electoral prospects in 2027.
The exchange highlights the early stages of political maneuvering ahead of the next general elections, with both sides attempting to shape public perception of their respective strengths and vulnerabilities.
Political observers note that while Obasanjo’s endorsements may not guarantee electoral success, his interventions often generate significant media attention and can influence political discourse around opposition movements.
The former president’s potential support for the ADC coalition would likely provide the opposition alliance with enhanced credibility and media coverage, regardless of Onanuga’s dismissive assessment of its electoral value.
Whether Obasanjo will indeed declare support for the coalition remains unconfirmed, but the government’s preemptive response suggests officials are taking the possibility seriously despite their public dismissal of its significance.
