Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has slammed former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s claim that former military President, Ibrahim Babangida, was among those who tormented Tinubu life during the era of military regime. Osinbajo had made the comment during the reviewing of Babangida’s autobiography, A Journey in Service, a book launch at its public presentation in Abuja last week.
He recalled how Tinubu, then a senator, kicked against the military’s dissolution of the Senate following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Osinbajo said, Tinubu, who was then “tormented” by the military regime, including Babangida, was now present to celebrate one of his former adversaries.
However, speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme this morning, Onanuga kicked against Osinbajo’s claim, insisting that Babangida was, in fact, instrumental to Tinubu’s political journey.
Onanuga said, “I think the former Vice President got it wrong. Babangida was not really a tormentor of President Tinubu. Don’t forget that in his own speech at the event, Tinubu acknowledged that Babangida inspired him to go into politics”.
Instead, he said Babangida’s call for new-breed of politicians in the late 1980s and early 1990s attracted several technocrats and private sector professionals, into politics which Tinubu, is one of them.
“The military president had talked about bringing in fresh faces, and many professionals, including Tinubu, heeded that call. So, he went there (the book launch) to pay homage,” Onanuga added.
The presidential spokesperson explained that Tinubu real challenge with the Military started under the General Sani Abacha when he and other politicians attempted to reconvene the senate in Lagos.
Meanwhile, Onanuga commended Babangida recent admission that Chief MKO Abiola won the 1993 presidential General election, though the acknowledgement came too late.
