Paul Ibe, media adviser to former vice president Atiku Abubakar, has hit back at presidential aide Bayo Onanuga following a social media post targeting the ADC party. Onanuga had written, "Just continue your illegality, the lawless ADC. The dog that wants to get lost in the forest will ignore the hunter's whistle." In response, Ibe questioned Onanuga's emotional intensity, stating, "Dear @aonanuga1956, when a man is crying louder than the bereaved, just like you are doing now, there's a likelihood he is the one who killed the person." Ibe went on to allege that the recent statement issued by INEC, which highlighted alleged bias under Professor Joash Amupitan's leadership, originated from within the presidency. The claim points to internal manipulation of the electoral body's public messaging. No official response has been issued by the presidency or INEC on the allegation.
When a presidential aide resorts to forest metaphors to dismiss opposition parties, it signals less about lawlessness and more about the tone emanating from Aso Rock. Paul Ibe's counterclaim that INEC's statement was crafted in the presidency—if even partially true—suggests the office may be weaponising institutional voices. For Nigerians, this exchange isn't just noise; it reflects a deeper erosion of trust in neutral governance structures. The real issue isn't the war of words, but that such allegations can be made without immediate, credible denial.
