Tinubu’s Spokesman Onanuga Privately Messages Sowore To Delete Anti-President Post; Activist Declines Request
Tinubu’s Spokesman Onanuga Privately Messages Sowore To Delete Anti-President Post; Activist Declines Request
Onanuga insisted Sowore misinterpreted Tinubu’s remarks during a recent speech in Brazil.
Human rights activist and SaharaReporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has disclosed that presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, privately messaged him, urging him to delete a recent post in which he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”
Sowore, in a statement on Tuesday titled “Triggered by My Statement, Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga Writes Me to Delete My Posts on Tinubu,” said Onanuga contacted him via WhatsApp following the controversy surrounding his August 26 posts on X and Facebook.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has since written to both X and Meta, owners of Facebook, demanding the deletion of the posts and deactivation of Sowore’s verified accounts, accusing him of hate speech and incitement.
In his WhatsApp message, Onanuga insisted Sowore misinterpreted Tinubu’s remarks during a recent speech in Brazil. He said the president was referring specifically to transparency in foreign exchange sourcing and not to corruption in general.
Sowore said, “Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, wrote directly to me on WhatsApp, asking that I delete my tweet and Facebook post in which I referred to President Bola Tinubu as a criminal—based on Tinubu’s recent speech in Brazil where he claimed that there is “no more corruption in Nigeria.
“Onanuga argued that my interpretation was a ‘misfire,’ claiming Tinubu was only referring to the process of sourcing foreign exchange and not corruption as a whole. He even cited examples from business figures like Samad Rabiu to defend his point, and then advised me to delete my post.”
Onanuga’s Message to Sowore
“Good afternoon. Your August 26 tweet that the DSS is complaining about is anchored on a total misinterpretation of what the President said in Brazil. 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. Good afternoon.”
Sowore’s Response
Sowore, however, rejected the request, describing it as an attempt to dictate how Nigerians should interpret public statements by the president.
“Good afternoon. I am surprised that you consider it appropriate to dictate to citizens like me 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.
“What is more troubling is that in Nigeria today, anyone who dares to criticise the President is instantly subjected to harassment by the DSS, political thugs, and every coercive instrument the state can muster. I once thought perhaps you were unaware of such abuse, but it is now clear you are complicit.
“In this regard, it is you who has misfired. Your request reflects not only poor judgment but also the mindset of the principal you represent.”
Sowore noted that he had known Onanuga for decades, recalling his early career as a student leader in Lagos when he frequently read Tempo, The News, and PM News. He also mentioned working briefly with The News before founding SaharaReporters.
He added that he had asked Onanuga for permission to make their private exchange public but received no response.
He said, “I have known Bayo Onanuga for many decades. Back when I was a student leader in Lagos, Tempo, The News, and PM News were our go-to platforms. Later, before founding SaharaReporters, I even moonlighted as a Special Correspondent for The News, working alongside Kunle Ajibade and Babafemi Ojudu to produce some of the hottest stories of that era.
“This clarification is important because it explains why Mr. Onanuga may have chosen to write me a private message over my recent post. Out of respect, I sought his permission to make our exchange public, but he did not reply.”
Tinubu Loyalists’ Vow To Attack Sowore
Earlier on Tuesday, SaharaReporters reported that two loyalists of President Bola Tinubu have vowed to attack and “demobilise” Sowore during a virtual meeting held in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to credible sources who spoke with SaharaReporters, the meeting took place at 2:00 AM EST (8:00 AM Nigerian time) and was convened as part of preparations for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 80) will open today (Tuesday, September 9, 2025), in New York, with the High-Level General Debate commencing on September 23, 2025.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters gathered that a state governor also participated in the meeting, while one of the individuals who openly threatened Sowore was identified as being from Edo State.
A source familiar with the discussions said, “In the meeting, two overzealous Tinubu boys volunteered to attack Sowore physically. They said that if the DSS (Department of State Services) would not arrest Sowore, they would carry out the attack themselves very soon.
“They said they know his routine because they have watched and observed him. They said they would carry it out very soon. The language the person used is to demobilise him.”
One of the sources expressed shock at the level of hostility directed towards the activist during the meeting.
The meeting was convened to discuss preparations for UNGA with President Tinubu’s UN trip scheduled for later in the week.
However, attention shifted to Sowore, whom the loyalists accused of “rubbishing their leader.”
“We were planning the UN trip of some dignitaries because Tinubu is not even supposed to arrive in New York until Friday. According to what two of them said, Sowore is supposed to be taught a bitter lesson. They clearly said that if the DSS refused to arrest him, they would do it themselves.
BREAKING: Sowore Writes X, Urges Platform To Reject ‘Unlawful’ DSS Request To Delete Post Criticising Tinubu, Warns Against Aiding State Repression
Sep 07, 2025
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BREAKING: Sowore Writes X, Urges Platform To Reject ‘Unlawful’ DSS Request To Delete Post Criticising Tinubu, Warns Against Aiding State Repression
“They said Tinubu is their leader and they are ready to carry out the attack themselves, and that they won’t allow Sowore, who was called many names, to rubbish their leader,” one of the sources said.
“They vowed to deal with him. They vowed to get thugs and deal with him, even saying he would be treated the ‘Gani Fawehinmi way.’”
Sowore, a long-time critic of successive Nigerian governments and a former presidential candidate, has previously faced multiple arrests, detention, and intimidation by state authorities and security agencies.
Background
On Sunday, SaharaReporters reported that the DSS had formally petitioned the management of X, demanding the immediate suspension or deactivation of Sowore’s verified account over a post it described as a threat to national security.
In a letter signed by B. Bamigboye, for the Director General, State Services, dated September 6, 2025, and addressed to the Chairman and CEO of X Corp in Texas, United States, the DSS alleged that Sowore’s post constituted hate speech, cybercrime, and incitement to violence against the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the DSS, Sowore, through his handle @YeleSowore, made a post on August 25, 2025, at 11:38 PM, in which he wrote: “This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
The secret police described the statement as “personally directed at Mr. President” and said it had “attracted widespread condemnation by majority of Nigerians, some of whom may resort to unwholesome activities to vent their grievance over it, especially supporters of the President who have started taking to the streets in protest.”
The DSS claimed that Sowore’s “tweet under reference is against the transparency on X and Government has frowned at it and found it extremely dangerous, false, privacy violation behavior that manipulate and negatively impacts on the person of the President and the Country”.
The DSS said the post violates Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act Cap. 77, which prohibits the publication of false information, as well as provisions of the Cyber Crimes Act 2025, which criminalises spreading fake news, offensive content, and statements intended to provoke ethnic, religious, or tribal hatred. It also referenced the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, arguing that Sowore’s words could amount to domestic terrorism.
Also, the DSS petitioned Meta Platforms Inc., the owner of Facebook, demanding the immediate deactivation of the verified account of Sowore over the same post criticising Tinubu.
“The said post is still in circulation and has attracted widespread condemnation by majority of Nigerians, and is causing both online and offline tension across the country, thereby creating political tension and threatening the country’s national security. This is in addition to the disparaging effect the post has on the reputation of Mr. President and the country before the comity of nations,” the DSS told Meta.
The DSS claimed that both the author and the platform used to disseminate such content are criminally liable, stressing that the inflammatory publication against the President falls under these provisions.
Similarly, the DSS had issued a one-week ultimatum to the activist, demanding that he retract his social media posts about President Tinubu.
The social media posts in question saw Sowore call out Tinubu after accusing the Nigerian leader of lying to citizens when he told an audience in Brazil that corruption no longer existed under his administration.
According to the DSS, Sowore’s remarks amounted to an attack on national security and public order.
The agency claimed the comments had “sparked anger among citizens and could incite public disturbance, disunity, and even insurrection.”
The secret police warned that failure to comply with its demand within one week would leave it with no choice but to “explore all lawful means to protect national security and public order.”
Meanwhile, Sowore has vowed not to delete the post.
