The African Democratic Congress has rejected criticism from presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, dismissing his remarks as political grandstanding. In a statement released Saturday by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the party responded to Onanuga's social media post that accused ADC of operating unlawfully. 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." Abdullahi countered, stating, "The hunter you speak of has no jurisdiction in this forest." He added, "ADC is not lost; we are simply not following unlawful whistles. Besides, don't forget, the forest hides that which hunts the hunter." The party insisted it remains committed to legal and democratic processes, rejecting what it called attempts to delegitimise its activities through verbal attacks from government officials.
Bayo Onanuga's combative language exposes the presidency's growing discomfort with opposition voices that refuse to be silenced. By framing ADC's defiance as lawlessness, his remark risks equating dissent with criminality—a troubling narrative for democratic discourse. The ADC's sharp retort shows it won't back down, but for ordinary Nigerians, the exchange signals more political noise than tangible change. Neither side has offered policy substance, leaving voters with slogans instead of solutions.
