The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has refuted former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s claim that former military President Ibrahim Babangida was one of Tinubu’s tormentors.
Speaking at the public presentation of Babangida’s autobiography, A Journey in Service, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja last week, Osinbajo—who reviewed the book—recounted how Tinubu, then a senator, resisted the military government’s dissolution of the Senate following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. He humorously remarked that Tinubu, once tormented by the military, including Babangida, was now present to honor one of his past adversaries.
However, appearing on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Onanuga disagreed with Osinbajo’s characterization, stating that Babangida was, in fact, an inspiration for Tinubu’s political journey.
“I think the former Vice President got it wrong. Babangida was not really a tormentor of President Tinubu. In his own extempore speech, President Tinubu himself acknowledged that he held Babangida in high regard and credited him with inspiring his entry into politics,” Onanuga said.
He explained that Babangida’s introduction of the “new breed” political initiative encouraged many technocrats and private sector professionals—including Tinubu—to venture into politics. “That was what brought him in. He came to the event to pay homage,” Onanuga added.
The presidential aide clarified that Tinubu’s real struggles with the military began under General Sani Abacha, when he and some colleagues attempted to reconvene the dissolved Senate in Lagos.
Onanuga also commended Babangida for admitting that MKO Abiola won the 1993 presidential election but noted that the acknowledgment came too late.
