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Atiku’s Aide Mocks CON Award On Onanuga

By Benjamin Abioye

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Frank Shaibu Onanuga

Phrank Shaibu has slammed Bayo Onanuga, accusing him of betraying June 12 values by supporting a repressive government.

A media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu, has criticized presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, over comments he made about national honours being tied to the June 12 democratic struggle.

Shaibu was responding to a post Onanuga made on social media, where he praised President Bola Tinubu for honoring certain individuals in connection with their roles in the fight to uphold the June 12 election. According to Shaibu, Onanuga’s words were disappointing, given his past as a journalist who once spoke boldly against military rule and injustice.

Shaibu stated that Onanuga, who used to stand for the truth and democracy, had now abandoned those ideals. Instead of defending the public, he said, Onanuga now works for a government that carries out the kind of oppression he once opposed.

“You now lend your voice, not to the people, but to a government whose actions echo the very oppression you once stood against,” Shaibu wrote. “You defend policies that deepen poverty, excuse incompetence, and enable tyranny. You mock the anguish of Nigerians, rationalize their suffering, and spin propaganda for a regime that governs with impunity. That is not what June 12 was about.”

Shaibu questioned whether someone like Onanuga should even be considered a hero of June 12. He argued that the day represented more than just political resistance—it stood for the will of the people and the sacrifices made to resist authoritarianism.

“June 12 was not just a date—it was a moral uprising,” Shaibu added. “It was about the will of the people, the sacrifice of patriots, and the refusal to bow to authoritarianism. Those who deserve to wear its badge must live its values—not just during the struggle, but in the aftermath when power tempts and truth becomes inconvenient.”

He continued, “Can a man who now defends oppression be counted among the oppressed? Can one who rationalizes injustice be celebrated on the altar of justice?”

Shaibu also criticized the idea of awarding Onanuga a national honour such as the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), suggesting that it dishonors the memory of individuals like Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Alfred Rewane, and others who gave everything for a better Nigeria.

“You may have stood at the beginning of the fight, Bayo—but you have since crossed over to the other side,” he said. “Honor is not just about where you stood in the past; it is about where you stand when it matters most. And today, you stand not with the people but against them. You should wear a badge of betrayal, not a national honor.”
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