Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has landed in hot water after a controversial post endorsing Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, sparked public backlash. Onanuga, known for his sharp political commentary, drew the ire of many after sharing a Bloomberg interview with Dangote, where the billionaire called for the full removal of fuel subsidies, a topic that has been a political hotbed in Nigeria.
On Tuesday, Onanuga posted the Bloomberg report featuring Dangote, the President of Dangote Group, who advised the federal government that now is the perfect time to completely eliminate fuel subsidies. Dangote, whose massive 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery recently began supplying petrol, confidently stated that fuel production from his refinery would save Nigeria significant amounts of money.
āBut this refinery will resolve a lot of issues out there, you know. It will show the real consumption of Nigeria, because, you know, nobody can tell you. Some people say 60 million litres of gasoline per day. Some say itās less. But right now, if you look at it by us producing, everything can be counted,ā Dangote reportedly told Bloomberg.
However, what set off alarms was the fact that Onanugaās post came in stark contrast to the government’s earlier claims. The Federal Government, since May 2023, had firmly maintained that fuel subsidies were a thing of the past following President Tinubuās announcement of their removal. This discrepancy between the governmentās official stance and Onanugaās endorsement of Dangote’s comments raised serious questions about the administration’s transparency on this critical issue.
The backlash was swift, and it wasn’t long before Onanuga deleted the post, but the damage had already been done. Sources close to the presidency revealed that the post had caused significant embarrassment for President Tinubu, who also serves as Nigeriaās Minister of Petroleum Resources. The deletion of the post was reportedly done in a bid to prevent further damage to the Presidentās credibility on fuel subsidy matters.
In a puzzling twist, Onanuga later released a statement on Tuesday reaffirming the governmentās commitment to its no-subsidy policy, insisting that no subsidies have been paid since the deregulation of the oil sector in May 2023. This left many observers baffled, questioning why Onanuga had posted Dangoteās remarks in the first place, especially considering their direct contradiction of the governmentās official narrative.
Critics have begun speculating about Onanugaās motivations, with some suggesting he may have a deeper allegiance to Dangote. For years, Onanuga has been a vocal supporter of the billionaire through his media platform, PM News, and more recently in his role as Tinubuās media adviser. Many now wonder if Onanuga is quietly advancing Dangoteās interests from within the presidency.
This isnāt the first time Onanugaās comments have stirred controversy. During the recent Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) strike, Onanuga released a statement that appeared to do more to praise Dangote than address the alleged human rights violations raised by the UKās Labour Party. The statement, titled “Nigeria, a Country Governed by Law,” condemned the NLC, accusing them of frustrating economic progress, specifically mentioning the unionās opposition to the sale of the Port Harcourt refinery to Dangote in 2007.
Further scrutiny of Onanugaās social media activity reveals that he has frequently promoted Dangoteās achievements. Posts such as “Dangote refinery must not fail” on July 21, 2024, and his congratulatory tweet to the Dangote Group in December 2023 for their refinery milestones reflect a pattern of consistent public endorsement.
This ongoing promotion of Dangote has led many to question Onanugaās true loyalties, with some wondering if his role as a government spokesperson has been compromised by his close alignment with Nigeriaās wealthiest businessman. The controversy continues to simmer as Nigerians remain divided on the true intentions behind his endorsement of Dangoteās statements.
Peoplesmind