The defection of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has triggered a sharp exchange between the Presidency and the opposition, with an aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar accusing Aso Rock of panicking ahead of the 2027 general election.
Reacting to comments attributed to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Atiku’s Special Adviser on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the Presidency’s response betrayed anxiety rather than confidence, arguing that Obi’s move had exposed deeper fears within the ruling camp.
In a statement issued on behalf of the former Vice President, Shaibu said Onanuga’s remarks departed from the restraint expected of a presidential spokesman, describing the tone as defensive and unbecoming.
“As media adviser to President Bola Tinubu, this outburst says more about panic in Aso Rock than it does about Peter Obi,” Shaibu said.
He argued that Onanuga wrote not as a media manager but as someone under pressure, adding that ridicule had replaced reason and abuse substituted for facts.
Shaibu faulted the criticism of Obi’s political movement, describing it as hypocritical in a political landscape shaped by defections and alliances.
“Calling Obi ‘wandering’ while defending an administration built on political migrations and elite bargains is hypocrisy dressed up as commentary,” he said.
He also rejected attempts to dismiss post-election discontent, insisting that concerns surrounding the 2023 general election remain legitimate and widespread.
“Millions of Nigerians questioned the 2023 process. You can sneer at them, but you cannot erase them,” Shaibu stated.
The Atiku aide criticised what he described as the increasing use of insults in official government communication, warning that it reflected poorly on the administration and often signals a lack of results.
Shaibu further questioned the government’s policy direction, arguing that claims of reform do not align with the daily realities of Nigerians facing hardship and insecurity.
On opposition alignments, he dismissed suggestions that Obi would play a subordinate role in any emerging coalition, describing such claims as speculative and unfounded.
“There is no ticket, no candidate, no imposed hierarchy. What exists is a coalition conversation, and that is what truly unsettles you,” he said.
Shaibu concluded that the controversy surrounding Obi’s defection was less about the former governor and more about growing political organisation ahead of 2027, stressing that ultimate power rests with the electorate.
“Nigerians will decide in 2027,” he said.
