0
A private WhatsApp exchange between Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, has surfaced, adding fuel to an already tense standoff with the Bola Tinubu administration.
The chat, where Onanuga urged Sowore to delete a social media post branding the President a “criminal,” emerged just as the Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly handed Sowore a seven-day ultimatum to take down the post.
In the conversation, Onanuga insisted that Sowore’s interpretation of Tinubu’s recent speech in Brazil was a “misfire,” explaining that the President was only referring to reforms in the foreign exchange market and not to corruption as a whole.
He pressed Sowore to delete the post to avoid escalating matters.
“Your August 26 tweet that the DSS is complaining about is anchored on a total misinterpretation of what the President said in Brazil.”
Onanuga wrote. “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.”
Sowore, however, pushed back strongly, accusing the government of intolerance for criticism and warning Onanuga against dictating how citizens should interpret presidential remarks.
“I am surprised that you consider it appropriate to dictate to citizens 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,” Sowore fired back.
The AAC 2023 presidential candidate declared that no threat or deadline from the DSS would make him retract his words. “Even if given till the last day of Tinubu’s tenancy in Aso Rock, I will not delete the post or apologise over it,” he vowed.
Sowore also disclosed that he and Onanuga had known each other for decades, recalling their time working together at Tempo, The News and PM News, alongside respected journalists such as Kunle Ajibade, Babafemi Ojudu and Babajide Kolade-Otitoju. According to him, out of respect, he notified Onanuga of his plan to make their WhatsApp conversation public, but received no reply.
The clash has further strained relations between the Tinubu administration and opposition voices, with Sowore concluding defiantly: “This government cannot bully me into silence,” he said.