The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Strategy and Information, Bayo Onanuga, describing him as unfit to speak for the presidency due to his tendency to issue statements without careful consideration. The rights group accused Onanuga of frequently delivering “misinterpretations” and called his comments on recent national issues, including court orders and the sheltering of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, as “spurious” and “fallacious.”
HURIWA condemned Onanuga’s handling of public narratives, particularly in relation to a recent cover story by The Guardian that highlighted the hardships faced by Nigerians and the calls for military intervention from some quarters. The group argued that Onanuga’s response was a deliberate misinterpretation that misrepresented Nigerians’ challenges as agitation against governance.
The rights group further criticized Onanuga for justifying the sheltering of Yahaya Bello, who was declared wanted by the EFCC for alleged financial crimes amounting to N80.2 billion. HURIWA argued that immunity under Nigeria’s constitution does not extend to households of government officials, disputing Onanuga’s stance that such immunity complicates Bello’s arrest.
Urging President Tinubu to appoint a more “qualified, sober, and professional” media representative, HURIWA asserted that Onanuga’s statements are detrimental to the presidency’s image. HURIWA emphasized the importance of having a spokesperson who represents the presidency with balanced and reflective communication, rather than one who acts as a “loose cannon.”
