“God Made Tinubu President” – Presidency Slams Rufai Oseni Over FCT Election Claims

Nigeria’s Presidency has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s rise to power in 2023 was ordained by “Almighty God”, as it fired back at broadcaster Rufai Oseni over allegations surrounding the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections.

The sharp exchange has once again spotlighted tensions between government officials and media commentators over electoral transparency and political accountability.

Onanuga Defends Tinubu’s Mandate

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, issued the rebuttal on social media platform X while responding to claims made by Rufai Oseni.

Oseni had questioned what he described as discrepancies in the recent FCT area council election results involving the All Progressives Congress (APC), raising concerns about the figures recorded.

Reacting publicly, Onanuga accused the journalist of spreading falsehood and harbouring what he termed a “pathological hatred” for the ruling party.

“I expect you to have outgrown your pathological hatred for our party, since May 2023, when Almighty God gave power to President Tinubu,” Onanuga wrote.

Dispute Over FCT Area Council Election Results

The controversy centres on the integrity of results from the FCT area council elections, where the APC featured prominently.

Onanuga maintained that the result sheet cited by Oseni clearly showed the total number of votes cast at the polling unit and insisted that the APC’s votes were consistent with the overall tally. He dismissed any suggestion of irregularities.

Oseni, a well-known broadcast journalist, has been vocal in demanding transparency in electoral processes, particularly when discrepancies arise in publicly released figures.

Renewed Debate on Electoral Transparency

The confrontation underscores broader debates over election credibility in Nigeria, especially following the fiercely contested 2023 presidential election that brought President Bola Tinubu to office.

Since assuming office, Tinubu’s administration has faced continued scrutiny from opposition figures, civil society groups and sections of the media over governance and electoral matters.

With political tensions still simmering, the latest war of words signals that debates over election integrity remain far from settled.