‘Renewed Hope is a scam’ — Aregbesola tells Tinubu to resign at ADC convention

Rauf Aregbesola, the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, has called President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda a “scam” and demanded the president’s resignation over worsening insecurity and economic hardship in Nigeria.

Aregbesola, a former Minister of Interior and former Governor of Osun State, made the remarks on Tuesday at the ADC’s national convention in Abuja, where hundreds of delegates gathered to amend the party’s constitution and ratify its new leadership structure.

“Four years ago, this government promised Nigerians renewed hope for a better future. Now, three years into its four-year term, it still holds promise and offers renewed hope. When exactly will this hope come into fruition? The answer is simple. It is a scam,” Aregbesola told delegates. “If allowed, this regime will continue shouting renewed hope to eternity. We have the duty to stop scammers from retaining power.”

Aregbesola’s case against Tinubu

The former governor laid out a broad critique of the administration’s record. He cited the naira’s slide from roughly 700 to the dollar at the parallel market when Tinubu took office in 2023 to about 1,400 now, calling it a 1,400% devaluation in an import-dependent economy. He pointed to fuel prices rising from between 185 and 238 naira per litre to around 1,400 naira and still climbing.

“The administration told Nigerians that if it does not solve the power problem by providing a constant power supply, they should not be voted for a second time,” Aregbesola said. “Today, power supply is far worse, with some parts of the country receiving an average of two hours daily, and some other parts also receiving an average of two hours daily. And some have been in darkness for stretches of weeks and months.”

He said an honest president who made such a promise and “performed woefully” should step down rather than seek re-election. Instead, he said, “what we are witnessing is the most desperate attempt by a candidate in Nigerian electoral history to retain power at all costs, even if it means bringing down the entire democratic system.”

On insecurity, Aregbesola described the current situation as the worst in the nation’s history, with banditry and terrorism spreading across the country. He criticised Tinubu for not visiting communities affected by attacks, citing the 2025 Yelwata massacre in Benue State where, he said, the president held court at the government house rather than visiting the affected community.

He also raised the alarm on education and poverty, claiming the number of out-of-school children has risen from 18.3 million to nearly 20 million, while about 130 million Nigerians are now classified as multidimensionally poor.

Presidency fires back

Presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga responded swiftly on X, dismissing Aregbesola’s criticisms and calling the ADC a gathering of “desperate politicians” without a clear national agenda.

“No, Rauf. The real scammers are the politicians inside the SPV called ADC,” Onanuga wrote.

He accused Aregbesola of “parroting the opposition’s warped narratives” and refused to engage with the substance of the criticisms. Instead, he highlighted Aregbesola’s own record, saying his eight years as Osun governor were “characterised by unmitigated hardship” with unpaid salaries and pensioner suffering, and that his tenure as Interior Minister saw passport processing become “a nightmarish process” alongside multiple jailbreaks, including the infamous Kuje prison escape.

“For someone who failed so woefully to secure our correctional centres, it is ironic that Aregbesola now seeks to lecture others on insecurity,” Onanuga said.

Defending the administration, Onanuga said the government “has never shied away from acknowledging that policy reforms have brought unintended consequences” but pointed to “increased GDP, stronger foreign reserves, and a bullish stock market reflecting growing investor confidence.”

A convention that went ahead despite controversy

The ADC convention proceeded despite INEC’s decision not to monitor it, citing a court ruling. But the party pushed forward anyway, with 1,576 accredited delegates voting 94% in favour of amending the party’s constitution. The David Mark-led National Working Committee was ratified, and several factional members, including Nafiu Bala and Rep. Leke Abejide, were expelled for alleged anti-party activities.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who attended the convention, accused INEC chairman Joash Amupitan of being used to “scuttle democracy,” while former Anambra governor Peter Obi warned that Nigeria is “heading to disaster” over its rising debt profile, which he said had grown from 87 trillion naira to nearly 200 trillion naira under Tinubu despite the petrol subsidy removal that was supposed to reduce borrowing.

David Mark, the new ADC chairman, closed the convention by declaring it the beginning of the party’s journey to Aso Rock in 2027. “Today marks the beginning of our journey to the Villa,” he told delegates.

*Sources: Punch, TheCable, Channels TV, Daily Post, Premium Times*