Paul Ibe, media adviser to former vice president Atiku Abubakar, has hit back at Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on media to President Bola Tinubu, following a social media post about the internal crisis in the All Democratic Congress (ADC). Onanuga, in a post on X, referred to the ADC as "the lawless ADC" and wrote, "Just continue your illegality… The dog that wants to get lost…"—a comment seen as mocking the party's ongoing leadership tussle. Ibe responded sharply, calling Onanuga's remarks "unpresidential" and questioned the dignity of the presidency being represented by such language. The exchange unfolded publicly on social media, drawing attention to the growing friction between aides of two major political figures. The ADC has been embroiled in a leadership dispute since July 2023, with rival factions claiming legitimacy over the party's direction. Neither Atiku Abubakar nor President Tinubu has commented directly on the clash between their aides.
A presidential aide trading barbs in crude metaphors reveals how low the tone of Nigeria's political messaging has fallen. When Bayo Onanuga calls a political party "a dog that wants to get lost," it signals not strength but insecurity in the face of dissent. This kind of language from a top communications official normalizes incivility and erodes public trust in governance. For Nigerians, it means the discourse at the highest levels is increasingly performative, not constructive.
