President Bola Ahmed Tinubu‘s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has described the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, as “clueless.”
Onanuga made the remark while reacting to a recent interview in which Obi recounted how he reached out to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua during critical situations while serving as governor of Anambra State.
According to Obi, both former presidents responded promptly whenever he contacted them for intervention during those challenging moments.
In an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Obi said: “Forget security, I had erosion in a place called Umuchiyiani in Ekulobia and by 2am my phone rang, they said there was erosion and a house collapsed into it.
“I left my place in Awka, drove to that site at 2am and called Obasanjo from there. I said I’m in a village and erosion had just taken place there, a building had fallen and he answered me at 2am.
“When I had one of the most critical robberies I called President Yar’Adua and he was calling me daily until that situation was over.”
Reacting, Onanuga posted on X: “Obi was clueless then and is clueless now.”
The exchange is the latest in the ongoing war of words between supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In recent months, Obi has repeatedly criticised the Tinubu administration over issues including the economy, insecurity, governance and rising cost of living, arguing that Nigeria would have fared better under a different leadership. His comments have frequently drawn sharp responses from presidential aides, particularly Bayo Onanuga, who has consistently defended the administration’s policies and challenged Obi’s claims.
The latest disagreement followed Obi’s recollection of his time as governor of Anambra State, when he said former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua responded promptly whenever he sought federal intervention during security or governance challenges. Onanuga dismissed Obi’s remarks, describing him as “clueless” and accusing him of making misleading comparisons with the current administration.
The latest exchange underscores the growing political rivalry and heightened rhetoric as political actors position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
