Abuja, Nigeria
The Presidency has appealed to rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, to delete a recent post on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook in which he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”
Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, reached out to Sowore via WhatsApp, arguing that his interpretation of Tinubu’s remarks in Brazil was inaccurate. According to Onanuga, the President had not declared that “there is no more corruption in Nigeria” in a general sense, but was specifically referring to transparency in the process of sourcing foreign exchange.
Onanuga’s message to Sowore read in part:
“Your August 26 tweet that the DSS is complaining about is anchored on a total misinterpretation of what the President said in Brazil. He said there was no more corruption regarding sourcing foreign exchange and that you do not need to know CBN Governor Cardoso to get forex. Prominent business people like Samad Rabiu have all given testimony about this. That was what he meant. Nothing more. You truly misfired. I will advise that you delete the contentious post.”
In his response, Sowore rejected the request, describing it as an attempt to dictate how citizens should interpret public statements by the President. He further alleged that critics of the administration were being routinely harassed by security agencies.
Sowore stated:
“I am surprised that you consider it appropriate to dictate to citizens like me how to interpret what is already in the public domain, especially when it comes to videos and matters that touch on the State of the Nation… It is you who has misfired. Your request reflects not only poor judgment but also the mindset of the principal you represent.”
The activist also recalled his longstanding relationship with Onanuga from the days of Tempo and The News magazines in the 1990s, noting that this may have influenced the private appeal. He added that although he sought Onanuga’s permission before making their exchange public, he received no reply.
The exchange has sparked fresh debate on social media about freedom of expression, government criticism, and the role of presidential aides in responding to dissent.
