Bayo Onanuga, who serves as Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has taken aim at the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and its national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, challenging the party to demonstrate that it has a credible plan for governing the country.
In a statement released on Friday, Onanuga dismissed the NDC as little more than a refuge for politicians who have lost their footing elsewhere, raising doubts about whether the party is genuinely prepared to lead Nigeria.
The comments arrive at a moment of growing public interest in the NDC, driven largely by the recent arrival of prominent figures including Labour Party’s 2023 presidential flagbearer Peter Obi and ex-Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, both of whom crossed over from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Onanuga argued that the NDC has so far offered nothing to distinguish itself from the ADC, insisting the newer party has not charted any meaningful course for the nation.
He revealed that he visited the NDC’s website on two separate occasions hoping to find evidence of a distinct governing philosophy — one that would stand in contrast to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Both visits, he said, came up empty. Despite links on the site directing users to a manifesto, attempting to download the document returned a “no document found” error each time.
Onanuga found it particularly puzzling that a party openly positioning itself for an ideological battle in the 2027 elections has still not published a manifesto, even months after receiving its court-backed registration in February.
He noted that the only policy content currently on the NDC’s website is a set of six points branded as pillars — content he dismissed as too thin to merit that description. In his view, the ideas read more like empty rhetoric, which he likened to the kind of vague talking points Peter Obi has repeatedly offered Nigerians over the past six years.
That said, Onanuga indicated he is still open to being persuaded, expressing a willingness to engage with the NDC’s vision once the party gets around to actually presenting one.
